452 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



[ June 25, 1868. 



simply tied round with a bit of soft mat. I may add that I 

 have had a number of buds that have not taken; but on the 

 whole the experiment baa been successful. I find the Ivy- 

 lejaf varieties take, perhaps, better than any. — J. H. M. 



SEDUMS AS EDGING PLANTS. 



The increasing demand for hardy plants capable of taking 

 the places of tender ones in the flower beds has beenthemeans 

 of bringing into notice more than one of the favourites of bygone 

 years as well as fresh subjects not hitherto employed in the 

 flower garden. The plants up to this time most sought after 

 have been those of a dwarf compact habit of growth, and pro- 

 ducing a long continuance of flowers, or remarkable for their 

 foliage. The Saxifrages, Violas, Gentians, and other genera 

 have furnished recruits to the army of bedding plants. Not a 

 few likewise have contributed materially in producing the equally 

 important spring display. There are, however, some low-grow- 

 ing plants of whose existence many may not be fully aware, 

 and as their easy culture places it within the means of every- 

 one to grow them, they cannot be too well known. Those 

 which I shall mention are all dwarf, quite hardy, and interest- 

 ing to the lover of plants as well as to the botanist ; and I am 

 not sure but that those who delight in high flaring colours 

 will find a relief in contemplating the sober yet far from dull 

 hue of the plants about to be described, and which are not by 

 any means new. 



Sedum cALiFor.NicDM. — This fleshy-leaved Houseleek differs 

 from the kind so often met with on the tops of low buildings 

 and other places where it is grown for its supposed medicinal 

 properties, as the Californian Sedum is of more sturdy habit, 

 and the leaves are all deeply tipped with purplish brown. The 

 plant seems to thrive well in most situations, but likes a dry 

 and sunny one, increases freely, and bears transplanting at 

 any season. It forms an admirable edging to a small bed, and 

 for places where a permanent edging is required it is extremely 

 suitable. Occasionally it flowers, but not frequently, and when 

 it does the sturdy stem bearing a head or corymb of flowers is 

 not without beauty. It is less disposed to flower than either 

 of the following two species. In habit of growth it much 

 resembles the common Houseleek, the thickly-clustered heads 

 pushing each other out of place, and by degrees rising into a 

 sort of mound. As already stated, it is not particular as to soil, 

 but likes the snn. 



Sedum glaccum.— Differing widely from the preceding, this 

 low-growing spreading plant quickly occupies its allotted space, 

 and unlike many others may easily be kept to that line. It is 

 of a pale whitish green colour, and looks well all the year 

 roiind. About the middle or end of May it flowers abundantly, 

 the bloom being of a greyish tint, not by any means unsightly, 

 but rather the reverse when viewed from a distance. The plant 

 prefers a dry situation and grows very fast, so that when once 

 it has established itself it quickly covers the given space, and 

 it does not seem to die off when it becomes old. Although I 

 have had it in use for several years, I have never known the 

 centre or old portion of the plant die off or grow into an un- 

 sightly lump ; on the contrary, it would preserve its original 

 height of about 2 inches, and the flower does not rise more 

 than 2 inches higher. The plant appears to accommodate itself 

 even to the most prominent point of rockwork where there is 

 only a very small quantity of soil. I have used it occasionally 

 in winter gardening, and the grey hue of the plant was seen to 

 advantage when the soil was dark-coloured with moisture. 

 For a permanent edging it is all that can be desired in habit. 



Sempekvitum GLODiFERuii. — In habit thisis more like Sedum 

 oalifornicum but is less robust, and the whole plant is of a deep 

 emerald green, the opening foliage looking like a partially- 

 opened Rose bud. In most respects it resembles Sedum cali- 

 fornicum, excepting that it flowers more freely, and the in- 

 dividual flower stems are remarkably sturdy for so small a 

 plant. I believe it is less plentiful than either of the first- 

 mentioned two, but I have had it for several years, and the 

 hardest winter does not take any effect upon it. Like the other 

 members of its family it delights in sunshine and a dry situa- 

 tion, yet with me it is grown in many instances as a per- 

 manent edging around small circular beds containing a young 

 specimen Pinus or other tree, and for such a purpose it, as well 

 asthe other two Sedums, is admirably adapted. It may be ad- 

 mired every day in the year, which is not the case with many 

 ornamental objects. 



X hope to continue this subject on another occasion, as there 



are other deserving plants not sufficiently known to the general 

 public, but those named I have had for several years, and can 

 highly recommend where economy and a prolonged good 

 appearance are desired. — J. Bobson. 



NOTES ON GLADIOLUS. 



A coRRKSPOKDENT in a contemporary, who hails from Dundee, 

 and styles himself "Davie Dibble," is very strong upon the 

 subject of Gladiolus spawn ; and in reference to a statement 

 made in this Journal, that Gladiolus spawn blooms the first 

 year of planting, expresses himself plainly to the effect that he 

 does not believe it. He cannot get his Gladiolus spawn to 

 bloom the first year. If he were in my garden now, I could 

 show him some which will do so this year; only then, perhaps, 

 he would say that the bulbs must be older than I said. 



When Gladiolus bulbs are taken up there will be, accord- 

 ing to the variety (some being much more productive than 

 others), a number of bulblets, varying in size from that of a 

 pin's head to a filbert. Now, I do not mean to say that every 

 one of these will bloom the next year, but that if you can get 

 them of the size of a pea or upwards without any trouble these 

 will flower the next season. Some do as I have done when I 

 had time for it — viz., plant them at once in pots, leaving them 

 nearly dry during the winter months, and starting them into 

 growth in the spring. Others keep them dry, and do not plant 

 them until the spring, and if the outside skin be carefully taken 

 off their growth will be considerably quickened. There is no 

 mystery about it ; and although "Davie" does not believe it, 

 I can assure him that in the south and in France it is 

 constantly done, and surely the Scotch growers, who in all 

 florists' flowers so excel, can give their testimony that this is 

 the case. 



The present season, trying as it is to all flowers, is especially 

 so to the Gladiolus ; and all growers of it would do well to 

 mulch their beds or cover them with cocoa-nut fibre refuse, 

 which is much neater, and give copious waterings. I fear that 

 in all light soils it will be very difficult to keep Gladioli alive, 

 and even in deep soils great care and attention will be required. 

 I almost wish now that I had erected some kind of protection 

 over some of my beds to keep off this broiling sun, but not 

 having done so, must only keep the water-pot going. Happily 

 I have a good supply of the precious element, and my soil is 

 naturally close but not over stiff. As yet I see but little, if any, 

 symptoms of the disease which proved so fatal to my collection 

 last year ; and as it developed itself long before this period, 

 I am in great hopes that I shall escape, in some degree at any 

 rate : but should this long drought continue what hope of a 

 good bloom can we have ? The flowers wiU no sooner show 

 themselves than their beauty will be gone. 



As far as I have been able to see, the new varieties are re- 

 markably vigorous, Semiramis, La Fiancee, Norma, and Prin- 

 cess Alice having very strong grass, and looking as if they 

 meant to do work. This, as in all florists' flowers, is a great 

 point ; for it is most trying to give money and expend time on 

 them, and then after all to find that they will not repay one 

 for either. This is the case in Eoses. Such kinds as Madame 

 Furtado, Souvenir de Comte Cavour, Josephine Beauharnais, 

 &'C., are very beautiful, but so terribly miffy, that after a little 

 while, under the same care that otheis have received, they go 

 off; and so with sorts like Achille, Napoleon III., &c. It dis- 

 figures the bed to find them failing. 



It seems strange and is much to be lamented, that no encou- 

 ragement is given to the Gladiolus in or near the metropolis, 

 save at the Crystal Palace. Surely now that it is becoming 

 more popular, an effort might be made to make a Gladiolus 

 exhibition at the end of August or beginning of September, 

 and to invite growers from all parts to join it. If we could 

 devise anything on the principle of the National Eose Show, 

 and hold the exliibition at the same time as the Crystal Palace 

 Autumn Show of Flowers, the Company would give every facility 

 and act with their usual liberality. 'Many Gladiolus growers 

 would hail it with much satisfaction. I can only say that_ i{ 

 such a proposal meet with favour I shall be happy to receive 

 any communications addressed to the office of The Joubnai, ob 

 HoRTicuLiuEE. I would also willingly subscribe towards it, 

 and do my best to exhibit as well. It is a matter worth thinking 

 about, for there is no autumn flower more deserving of culti- 

 vation. Growers would perhaps meet ; we might discuss 

 disease, best method of growth, habit, merit of new varieties, &o. 



I hope to see in a few days M. Souchet's collection, not in 



