For August, 1923 



205 



Foreign Exchange Department 



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A ROSE WITHOUT A RIVAL!— HIAWATHA.— It may 

 appear presumptuous to say of any particular Rose that it is with- 

 out a rival, or even to claim for it some distinguishing character- 

 istic over others, in these days when there are so many beautiful 

 varieties, but beauty is fleeting and the fairest Rose of the morn- 

 ing has often lost much of its charm by noon! Hiawatha (a 

 single sort, too!) is different from any other. Of that there is 

 no shadow of doubt, and its very remarkable trait is the longevity 

 of its blossoms. As we know, who grow it, it yields numerous 

 crimson clusters with golden anthers and, when the latter fall, 

 there is revealed a white centre to the petals which rather increases 

 their attraction than otherwise. It is these clusters so lavishly pro- 

 duced which often in a hot season will last three or four weeks 

 before the petals fall, while in a normal season they will con- 

 tinue in beauty longer than this. As a grower of Hiawatha from 

 the time of its introduction I knov/ of no other Rose for which 

 one can prefer a similar claim and. certainly, there is no variety 

 that is better adapted for clothing with flowers for the longest 

 possible time an arch or pergola. Its staying power is unique. — 

 The Garden. 



ORIENTAL POPPY MOGUL.— So far as size goes, Mogul 

 appears to be the finest of the scarlet smooth-edged Oriental Pop- 

 pies of the present day. It was well exhibited at the last Chelsea 

 Show, and appears destined to meet with much favor from those 

 who appreciate these noble Oriental Poppies, which are nowadays 

 such a conspicuous feature of the June flower garden. Looking 

 back on the time when we had only the ordinary orange-scarlet 

 typical Papaver orientale and that fine one, still in favor, P. orien- 

 tale bractcatum. it is amazing the advance made in these flowers 

 and the increasing popularity they have gained. Mogul deserves 

 to be remembered when planting time comes round. — Gardening 

 Illustrated. 



CALIFORNIA BLUE BELL ( NEMOPHILA MEXZIESII). 

 — By far the most beautiful of the family is the above, a bed of 

 which is one of the most lovely features of the garden at the pres- 

 ent time, and this in spite of a wealth of other lovely alpine flowers 

 also in bloom. The seeds were sown in their present position in 

 September last, as this is by far the most satisfactory method of 

 treating this exquisite annual. The flowers are of the mo.st ex- 

 quisite sky-blue, with a white centre, and each one and one-half 

 inches across, the bed containing them resembling a carpet of 

 blue from a distance. Many have been the admirers of this little 

 flower during the past few weeks, and yet it is one so easily 

 obtained if only gardeners would sow the seed in Autumn on 

 well-drained soil instead of in the Spring, for if sown at the latter 

 time the effect cannot be compared with that of plants sown in 

 Autumn. There is a fine selected strain, known as grandiflora. 

 with larger blooms and a very charming white form, also a claret- 

 colored one. purpurea rubra, but the beauty of the above is un- 

 surpassed. — Gardening Illustrated. 



THE W^HITE-HORNED VIOLET (VIOLA CORNUTA 

 ALBA).- — Very pretty is this free-flowering plant as it clothes 

 the face of a low wall with its pure white flowers. Although this 

 lovely kind is not so often seen as the mauve and purple kinds, it 

 is equally effective and just as easy to grow, coming true from 

 seeds. Unlike many of the Tufted Pansies, it does not appear to 

 be so easily aft'ected during periods of drought. Of perennial 

 character, this plant makes fine broad edgings and groups, and, 

 being free in growth, may be increased to any extent, either in 

 Autumn or Spring. — Gardening Illustrated. 



THE RIGHT RESULTS IN FLOWERS.— No nation shows 

 more artistry in flowers than do the Japanese, and they secure 

 their lovely effects w'ith the least expenditure of material. See 

 them arrange a couple of sprays of Flowering Cherries in a plain 

 vase, and what a delight it is ; whereas a massed pot soon wearies. 

 How do they attain to it? — By study of Nature's methods, and 

 learning the harmony of colors. It takes time, but the results 

 are worth it. 



In contrast, consider the average arrangement of flowers in most 

 homes : Crude bunches of assorted blooms, in vases or surroundings 

 which positively cry aloud from the outrage of clashing color or 

 redundant grouping. A few pointers may be acceptable — 



Small flowers for a small room. 



In a flowered vase, flowers create an anti-climax. 



To place flowers in front of a picture, is unfair to the flow'ers 

 and unfortunate for the picture. 



Think of your walls not as something to be hid but rather as 

 backgrounds for appropriate color. 



In arrangement, remember Nature and not the massed bloom of 

 an ordinary Florist Shop. — S. African Gardening arid Country Life. 



THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF WATER LILIES.— 

 Investigations in the past and again recently on the opening and 

 closing of Water Lily flowers show that it is due to the action of 

 sunlight, and the absence of sunlight respectively. The common 

 white Water Lily opens at S A. M. at Upsala, Sweden, but not 

 until between 7 .\. m. and 8 a. m. at Innsbruck, Austria ; and in 

 both cases this coincides with the shining of the rising sun upon 

 them. The flowers close at 5 P. M. at Upsala, and between 7 p. M. 

 and 8 P. M. at Innsbruck. This is due to the fact that the sun 

 rises earlier at Upsala than at Innsbruck, during the flowering sea- 

 son. The flowers never open at exhibitions unless the sun shines 

 upon them, though the exhibitors may be expert growers. If the 

 flowers are cut while open they can certainly be enjoyed for a 

 time, but they should be as fully exposed to sunshine as circum- 

 stances permit. Tepid water might delay their closing towards 

 the end of the day. — The Garden. 



PRIMULA SIKKIMENSIS.— I often w^onder why more peo- 

 ple do not grow the Sikkim Cowslip (Primula sikkimensis). Per- 

 haps the reason is that it is not always a long-lived plant. It 

 seeds very freely, and it is easy to raise seedlings. It is best to 

 sow the seeds as soon as ripe, but it is not always safe to do this 

 in the open ground. I put the seeds in sandy soil in a pot in a 

 frame, where they remain plunged in ashes during Winter. In 

 Spring a good many young plants appear, but I leave the pot 

 untouched, except that I pick out the little seedlings which have 

 appeared when they have made a pair of their second or true 

 leaves. By leaving the pots for another Spring I get an additional 

 number of seedlings, as the seeds do not always germinate the 

 first year, although a bigger proportion does if they are sown as 

 soon as they are ripe. — Gardening Illustrated. 



CLIVIA MINIATA.— The merits of the Clivia as a handsome- 

 foliaged and flowering plant are by no means so fully recognized 

 as they should.be, particularly by the amateur with but a single 

 greenhouse, for it is by no means difficult to cultivate, and is 

 effective at all seasons. When in good condition the long strap- 

 shaped leaves are of a particularly rich green tint, and when they 

 are well overtopped by a rounded head of blossoms a large speci- 

 men forms a most imposing feature. It is also a good window 

 plant, and may be kept in health for a long time in a dwelling- 

 house. 



The soil best suited for the different Clivias should consist 

 mainly of good yellow loam, lightened by an admixture of sand, 

 nodules of charcoal, and leaf-mould. The best time to repot is 

 immediately the flowers are past, and in carrying this out it is 

 very essential that the pots be clean and well drained. After 

 potting, the plants should be kept in the greenhouse, giving them 

 a good light position. When the pots are well filled with roots, 

 water may be liberally supplied, while overhead syringing is, in 

 the height of Summer, very beneficial. In Winter much less 

 water sliould be given, as in this way the pkints get a partial 

 rest. When large they can be kept in health for years without 

 repotting, in which case they are greatly assisted by an occasional 

 watering w'ith weak cow-manure and soot-water mixed, taking 

 care that it is quite clear, as if at all thick it is apt to clog up 

 the drainage and the plant will then soon fall into ill-health.— 

 Gardening Illustrated. 



A USEFUL ANTIRRHINUM FOR WALLS.— The homely 

 and old fashioned Snapdragons, varieties of Antirrhinum 

 ma jus, are so well known — indeed, so universally popular 

 that they need no word of description or recommendation. How- 

 ever, Antirrhinum asarina is quite a different plant, and is a very 

 charming little thing that deserves to be much grown where condi- 

 tions are favorable to its well-being. Some of the healthiest and 

 most floriferous plants I have seen were growing on the face of an 

 old stone w^all. a position which was evidently exactly to their 

 liking. Being of trailing habit, the stems hung down over_ the 

 stones, draping them with festoons of soft green, woolly foliage, 

 and for the greater part of the Summer goodly numbers of com- 

 paratively large creamy flowers with yellow throat were to he 

 found pushing up between the leaves. The latter bear but little 

 resemblance to the Antirrhinum generally grown ; indeed, it might 

 almost be mistaken for some hoary-leaved Campanula, hut the 

 flower is quite of the familiar Snapdragon form. In addition to 

 positions on w-alls, this plant is well adapted to cultivation in fairly 

 dry pockets on the rockery, and in shallow pans it makes a very 

 effective plant. It is not sufficiently hardy to withstand full ex- 

 posure in bleak windswept .spots, neither will it survive where the 

 soil is surcharged with sta,gnant w^ater, but in sheltered, well 

 drained places it will do w-ell. A point in its favor is that seeds- 

 germinate freely, and the young seedlings quickly attain to flower- 

 ing size. — The Garden. 



THE ROCKETS.— If one has a love for a really beautiful and 

 showy old-world flower one should grow the Rocket, Hesperi.s 

 matronalis, which is deliciously scented, especially in the evening. 



