June 27, 18C7. J 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



449 



beneficial. For the production of Peas and Beans, probably 

 from the large amount of sulphur they require, t.heusoof gypeum 

 isjustly celebrated both for improvinf; the quality and increasing 

 the quantity of the product ; the same is also true in relation 

 to the culture of the Turnip.— (Pjuirie Farmer.) 



THE NEW TEAS. 



The Fruit and Vegetable Committee of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society has at last gone thoroughly into the question of 

 the new Peas — a question upon which so much has been written, 

 and so many conflicting statements have been made. No better 

 opportunity could have been found of coming to a satisfactory 

 conclusion on the subject, the trials at Chiswiek h.aving this 

 season been in every "way most successful, and all the varieties 

 being produced in their best condition. 



As regards Dillistone's Eai'ly, Carter's First Crop. Sutton's 

 Ringleader, and Yeitch's Early, there is no shadow of doubt as 

 to their being all perfectly identical. They bloomed on the 

 same day, or within a day of each other, slatted on the same 

 day, and were fit to gather on the same day. It is a remark- 

 able fact, that some samples of Dillistone's Early, which were 

 obtained from Mr. Dillistone himself, proved to be a spurious 

 and badly mixed stock, resembling Saugster's No. 1, and this 

 •will in some measure account for a great deal of the confusion 

 and counter statements that have been made in the discussions 

 relative to this Pea. How such a circumstance has arisen it is 

 for Mr. Dillistone to say, and it is due to the public that some 

 explanation should be given. Some years ago, when this variety 

 was first introduced, it was received perfectly true from a whole- 

 sale London house, which was supplied with it by Mr. Dillistone, 

 and singularly enough the sample sent by Mr. Dillistone him- 

 self was false. On the representation being made, the follow- 

 ing year he sent it perfectly true. If, therefore, any confusion 

 has arisen respecting his Pea, and if in any instances it has 

 been spoken of in depreciating terms, Mr. Dillistone has him- 

 self to thank for it. 



Dickson's First and Best is a taller grower and produces 

 more haulm ih.an the true Dillistone's, and i^roves to be a first- 

 class stock of true Sangster's No. 1. 



Taber's Perfection is rather stronger in the haulm, and some- 

 what later 'oy a day or two in filling than Sangster's No. 1. 



Young's No. 1 is a first early Pea, 4 feet high, producing 

 more haulm, and about as early as Sangster's No. 1. The 

 ripe seed of last year is rather darker, having a pale olive 

 tinge. 



Carter's Improved Emperor is an excellent free-bearing Pea, 

 and is a fine stock of true Sangster's No. 1. 



Washington is the same as true Early Emperor. 



Carpenter's Express appears to be a run-out mixed stock of 

 early Peas ; and the same remark is applicable to Hooper's 

 Early. 



Loudon Conqueror is an indifferent second early Pea. 



Stanstead No. 1 is identical with Essex Rival ; and Essex 

 Rival is one of those pale-podded second or third early Peas, 

 of the class of the old Ringwood Marrow. 



Stuart & Mein's Improved No. .1 is identical with Dickson's 

 Favourite, as is also Taber's No. 08. 



Sudbury Al is a white wrinkled Pea, 9 inches to a foot high, 

 and about as early as Sangster's No. 1. This is an excellent 

 Pea. 



Dwarf Waterloo is another dwarf Pea, 9 inches to a foot 

 high, a great bearer, producing a fiue large pod nearly if not 

 quite as large as the old Waterloo or Victoria, and earlier than 

 Bishop's Long-podded. 



Sutton's Loiig-podded Tom Thumb is wonderfully like the 

 old Spanish Dwarf. 



Carter's Improved Tom Thumb is not considered any im- 

 provement on the old Tom Thumb. 



Mr. Laxton, of Stamford, has been successful in raising 

 some varieties which will prove of high merit, when their 

 characters become fixed. As yet they appear not to have been 

 sufficiently long grown. They were obtained by crossing Lax- 

 ton's Prolific with Advancer, and it has been found that where 

 these crosses are made the produce from them assume various 

 forms, and it takes two or even three seasons before a per- 

 manent character is fi.xed; and this is done by very close 

 selection. This was so in the case of Dr. Maclean's many 

 seedlings. When they were first raised, they assumed many 

 forms, and for the first two or three years, even from closely 

 selected seed, more than one variety may have been obtained. 



We look forward with much interest to see more of Mr. Lax- 

 ton's novelties, and especially that named Alpha, which is an 

 early wrinkled Pea with an iramoneo pod, and as early as 

 Dillistone's. If this keep its present character it will be a 

 treasure. 



THE WARATAir, OR NATIVE TULIP TREE 

 OF NEW SOUTH >VALES. 



The flower called by the aborigines " Waratah," and " Native 

 TuliiJ " by the colonists of New South Wales, is considered the 

 most beautiful vegetable production indigenous to the colony, 

 and is produced from a stiff, erect and rigid shrub, having the 

 leaves of a hard woody texture, marking the I'roteads, to which 

 order the Waratah (Telopea speciosissima, R. Br.), belongs. 

 The leaves are oblong, more or less unequally toothed, and 

 from 4 to 6 or 8 inches in length ; dark green, but when just 

 expanding, of a dark red colour. 'The fruit is a pod containing 

 many winged seeds. The Waratah is indigenous to, and grows 

 luxuriantly and in abundance in the vicinity of Sydney, and 

 other parts of New South Wales, and when first described by 

 botanists was classed with a genus now known as Grevillea, 

 named Embothrium speciosissimum, and figirred under that 

 name in Smith's "New Holland Plants," and in Curtis's "Bo- 

 tanical Magazine " (edited by Dr. Sims). It afterwards formed 

 a new genus, called Telopea, derived from telopas (seen at a 

 distance), from its bright crimson blossoms being discernible 

 far off; and those who have had an opportunity of seeing tbis 

 plant in flower, either wild or cultivated, will readily admit the 

 correctness of this name. 



There are some peculiarities of its natural habits and repro- 

 duction worthy of notice. The first year the Waratah blossoms 

 it throws out from two to four shoots from each flower-head ; in 

 the second year only two, and in subsequent years only one, 

 or more rarely two. To ascertain the way these shoots are 

 produced, it is necessary to procure a flower-head, full-blown or 

 just fading, and on looking closely among the flowers, from one 

 to two or four young shoots will be observed just developing 

 themselves ; and these will form the branches of the following 

 year, from each of which a flower-head will most likely be pro- 

 duced. A knowledge of this fact will explain why the plucking 

 of the flowers destroys the new branch, injuring its natural 

 development, keeping the shrub stunted in growth, and prevent- 

 ing its flowering in the ensuing year. The Waratah produces 

 seeds every second year. A tree growing in a garden at Hunter's 

 Hill, in the vicinity of Sydney, five years old, and 10 feet high, 

 produced in 18G4 as many as twenty fine heads of flowers at 

 one time, forming a gorgeous sight; and in a tree growing in 

 the Botanic Gardens at Sydney, I observed in the spring of 

 1865, from one flowering branch produced in the previoits year, 

 three stems, each of which was crowned by a magnificent full- 

 blown flower-head. 



When a Waratah tree grows in a dense thicket of shrubs, or 

 among creepers by the side of a wall, in the shade, it runs up 

 to a great elevation, a tall slender shrub, seeking the sun's rays; 

 and to obtain light and air previous to developing its blossoms, 

 in several instances, when so situated, the plants have been 

 seen to attain the height of from 10 to 12 feet, or even 1.5 feet, 

 and then flowering for the first time. In suitable situations, in 

 their wild state, they usually flower when about 4 to 6 feet high, 

 and when at that time stripped of their blossoms, they become 

 stunted, devoid of beauty, and so remain until suckers are 

 thrown up from the roots, by which flowering branches are 

 reproduced. I have also observed that the Rice-paper plant 

 (Tetrapanax papyriferum, C. Koch), only produces branches 

 from the flowering stem ; in order to prove it I removed all the 

 panicles of flowers from a young tree flowering for the first 

 time ; the result was that the main stem increased in height 

 and developed a new canopy of fine foliage, but no lateral 

 branches were produced as obtained with those permitted to 

 flower as usual. Those desirous of growing the Waratah in 

 perfection, should not permit a flower to be gathered or other- 

 wise destroyed. Many who are aware of the habit of this highly 

 ornamental plant, have some magnificent specimens in their 

 gardens, attracting attention by their rich and brilliant mass of 

 briKht crimson blossoms. 



The Waratah thrives in a poor sandy soil, well exposed to 

 light and air. The usual time of flowering is in September, 

 (the early spring in New South Wales), and it continues for 

 nearly two months. There are two kinds of flowers, — one the 

 normal slate, of a deep, rich crimson, calyx segments tipped 



