254 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIODLTUBE AND OOTIAQE GARDENER. 



( AprU 1, 1875. 



ColeuB Duke of Edinburgh and a bold-foliaged fimbriated va- 

 riety, Mandarin ; also a hardy purple mauve Primrose, Lady 

 A. Taylour. Mr. Williams had his new Anthericum variegatum, 

 Alsophila Van Geerti, Encholirion corallinum, and the grace- 

 ful Palm Geonoma gracilis. Mr. Douglas also sent a fine 

 Amaryllis, Sir J. Cathcart. Amongst the "new" plants also 

 was a good specimen of Dendrobium iimbriatum oculatum 

 from Mr. Stevens, gardener to G. Simpson, Esq., Eeigate, laden 

 with its bright yellow flowers. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, sent a 

 basket of Double Violets of the Neapolitan type. The plants 

 were sturdy and iloriferous. Mr. W. Paul sent a new Rose, 

 Star of Waltham, which is undoubtedly a fine dark Eose ; and 

 Mr. Bennett, Manor Farm Nurseries, sent Tea Kose Marie 

 Guillot, but its delicate petals were injured in transit; also a 

 new Hybrid Perpetual Comtesse de Serenyi. 



Amongst the miscellaneous groups, which were an effective 

 feature of the Show, were Mr. WiUiams's stove and greenhouse 

 plants, consisting of a fine specimen of Imatophyllum, a good 

 Franciscea, Atjrides Fieldingi, Dendrobium thyrsiflorum, Cym- 

 bidium eburneum, Amaryllis Mr. Little, Tillandsia Lindeni, 

 Ferns, A'o. A beautiful collection of Roses in pots, also boxes of 

 cut blooms, were sent by Messrs. G. Paul & Son, Cheshunt. The 

 plants were good, and the blooms clean and excellent. La 

 France, Richard Wallace, Paul Verdier, Edward Morren, Duke 

 of Edinburgh, Madame Willermoz, Celine Forestier, a fine 

 group of Cheshunt Hybrid, Madame Lacharme, Captain Christie, 

 and a charming new Tea Rose of a rich salmon colour, Mdlle. 

 Marie Finger, are amongst the most attractive of this creditable 

 contribution. A box of cut blooms of Marcohal Niel from W. J. 

 Woodley, Esq., Oakwood Lodge, were also very attractive. 



Mr. C. Turner sent a group of two dozen Ivies in pots, excel- 

 lently grown plants, and his bank of richly berried Aucubas 

 were very effective. 



Mr. W. I>aul staged well-bloomed plants of Camellias, and a 

 box of beautiful cut blooms ; also a collection of Waltham White 

 Primula with gigantic flowers. Messrs. Carter & Co. staged a 

 collection of fifty Hyacinths with many good spikes and well- 

 finished trusses, a glowing bank of Tulips, and excellent plants 

 of Spirica japonica. Messrs. Barr & Sugden had similar groups 

 with a showy collection of Narcissus. Thus was composed the 

 first Exhibition at Regent's Park, and which will compare 

 favourably with its predecessors of the same period of the year. 



THE MULCHING OF FEUIT TREES. 



It is a common and a good practice to cover the surface of 

 the ground in autumn over the roots of newly-planted fruit 

 trees with good manure, both to act as a protective against tho 

 weather, and as conveying nourishment to the soil by the rains 

 washing down its virtues. 



Now, at this period of the year should that surface-covering 

 remain over the roots, or should it be removed ? There is no 

 question as to its benefit during winter, but it is not at aU 

 certain that its removal during the spring is an advantage or 

 not. Probab.'y nine persons out of ten would say, " Oh ! leave 

 it on, of course." 



Now, in ordinary free-growing trees, as Apples, &a., the 

 point is not of great moment ; but in the case of trees planted 

 on a south wall, Peaches, Nectarines, itc, it is absolutely 

 necessary that the best possible practice be adopted to induce 

 their free growth. The first condition to secure to that end 

 is root-action as early in the spring as possible to continue 

 the supply of sap after that stored np in the branches has been 

 appropriated by the bursting buds. For this there must be 

 earth heat, as, until a certain degree is reached, the roots will 

 not move at all. 



Now is it not reasonable to suppose that this necessaiy 

 earth heat is imparted by the sun sooner and quicker when 

 the surface is exposed than when it is covered ? The difference 

 in heat of the surface of a south border between (in April and 

 May) being covered and uncovered is very great. 



Last year out of six newly-planted Peach trees the surface- 

 mulching was drawn off five of them every morning, and 

 pushed on again at night. It was only the work of five 

 minutes a-day. The five trees flourished admirably, but after 

 the first break of the buds the growth of the covered tree was 

 stubborn, it became infested witii insects, and it never did any 

 good. This is a simple but important subject for abler men 

 than — A Young Gardenek. 



NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 



In the house No. 1 must be mentioned PhrjTiium sau- 

 guineum, chiefly beautiful from the scarlet bracts subtending 

 the branches of the panicle. The colour is similar to that of 



Rhubarb leafstalks when in the most brUliant condition. In 

 contrast to these the flowers are white, and the entire in- 

 florescence would be most attractive in the choicest bouquet. 

 Novelty is ever desired, and this could be used with good effect 

 from its singular form as well as for its colour. It lasts in 

 perfection a considerable time. In gardens it was first called 

 Maranta sanguinea, and the well-known cultivation for that 

 genus is the best for this. Out of flower it is ornamental, not 

 only from its peculiar habit of producing tufts of foliage on 

 long leafless stems, but from the purple under-surface of the 

 Maranta-like leaves. It was figured in the " Botanical Maga- 

 zine " of 1852 ; a volume, we may remark, which contains many 

 plants of special interest introduced about that time, and now 

 established in our gardens — Jasminum nudiflorum, Lilium gi- 

 ganteum, Calanthe vestita, Paulownia imperialis, Nymphiea 

 gigantea, N. Devoniensis, Rubus biflorus (R. leucodermis), and 

 several others. The blue Meconopsis Wallichi is there also, 

 it has recently been re-introduced after being lost for many 

 years. 



In the Conservatory we observe Podalyria calyptrata, an 

 old plant seldom seen, though very ornamental from its pro- 

 fusion of pink and white Pea-like flowers. It is easily grown, 

 and flourishes well in soil consisting of rather more than half 

 peat, and may be increased from seeds or cuttings. Orobus 

 vernuB is here very attractive, and is well worth forcing for its 

 flowers of purple turning with age to a kind of steel blue. The 

 foliage ia very pretty, and of a lovely green. 



Some pots of Lachenalia tricolor var. lutea are very orna- 

 mental in the Cape house. This genus has been sadly neg- 

 lected, though, perhaps, not more so than bulbous plants in 

 general. Interest in this class is certainly reviving, and ia 

 taking the special attention of several cultivators. The cul- 

 tivation of the above is very easy, and by a little management 

 may be had in succession for a considerable time. They are 

 grown best in rich sandy loam, and requiring a season of rest, 

 must always have water according to their condition. On the 

 same shelf is a plant of Soilla peruviana var. glabra. The 

 colour of the flower is very good, almost like S. siberica. It 

 differs from S. peruviana by the leaves not having a ciliated 

 margin, though quite distinct from the common glabrous va- 

 riety Ughi. 



Gardenia Stanleyana rarely exhibits flowera ; recently, how- 

 ever, it has been conspicuous in the stove with a number of 

 its extraordinary trumpet-shaped blossoms, altogether unlike 

 its well-known congeners. The corolla is about 9 inches long, 

 the slender tube expands into a bell-shaped month, with a 

 spreading limb of five ovate segments, about 4 inches across 

 from tip to tip. Its colour is white, spotted with purple, and 

 a band of the same colour runs down one side of each lobe. 

 To cause it to flower we advise that plants be at once potted, 

 using a mixture of rather more than half peat with fibrous 

 loam, the whole enriched with dung ; then plunge in bottom 

 heat of about 85" during the time of growth, after the com- 

 pletion of which remove from the bed, and during winter 

 give as little water as necessary. If the plant intends to 

 flower, buds will form about the early part of next year, and 

 may be perfected about this time. Rich feeding seems im- 

 portant in the cultivation of Gardenias. 



OUR BORDER FLOWERS— BARRENWORTS. 



Much might be said respecting this charming group of 

 spring and early summer flowering plants. A collection — or 

 may I say a selection?— needs only to be seen to be appreciated. 

 Had they been an expensive and difficult tribe to cultivate 

 perhaps they would have attracted more attention. I regard 

 them as among the neglected occupants of our rockeries and 

 herbaceous borders. In many places you look for them in 

 vain ; you may go from place to place and peer into every 

 nook, but you see no plant of Epimedium. Why is this ? Is 

 it because they are unknown, or that they are beneath the 

 cultivator's notice ? If we want to see those gems of spring 

 we must look for them where herbaceous plants are cared for 

 and are carefully tended. With this as other plants, it ia not 

 enough to just thrust them into the ground and leave them 

 to chance. 



We have one at least that is called native by us — Epime- 

 dium alpinum, but it haa not been my good fortune to the 

 present time to stumble on it at home. I have found these 

 plants of great service in the spring time a? pot plants in the 

 spring garden, and in the borders they are not difficult to 

 manage, and when once well established they last a long time, 



