Ootober 7, 187S. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTURB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



317 



Theee blooms were of perfect form atd iu a great variety of 

 colour. A vote of thanks was also awarded for tbirty varieties 

 of large blooms, The Clown, Capt. Webb, Samuel I'limsoll, and 

 Barmaid being varieties of great merit. A plant of Ficus Cooperii 

 bearing fruit was sent by Mr. Peacoclj, Hammersmith. 



A collection of Fir sprays bearing cones was sent by Rev. 

 G. T. BoEcawen, Lamorran, Cornwall. The collection consisted 

 of over twenty species from the common Larch to the Welling- 

 tonia, and from the gigantic cone of the Redwood, 18 inches in 

 length, to the small coral-like berry of the Yew. Some of the 

 specimens were from the Mariposa group, California. The col- 

 lection was highly interesting and ornamental. 



PLANTS FOR CUT FLOWERS AND SPRAYS. 



No. 3. 



Eanuncclcs. — The Double Persians have the individual 

 flowers IJ to 2 inches in diameter, and are as lovely in form as 

 any flower which the florist delights in. They, from their com- 

 pactness and symmetry, are valuable as cut flowers, but they 

 lack scent, and so do Camellias ; neither are all Roses remark- 

 able for rose odour. One Rannnculus at least is scented, the 

 Double Persian. Ophir d'Or, yellow, black-spotted ; DoUard, 

 white, violet-tipped ; Darius, creamy white ; Hector, white, 

 tipped rose ; Djedalus, crimson ; Gioriosa superba, crimson ; 

 Fireball, vermilion; Rose surpassante, rose; (Ell Noir, black; 

 and Jaune Supreme, yellow — are all good, and for cutting are 

 as useful in May and early June as the Rose, which unfolds its 

 beauty when the Ranunculuses are over. Turban Rannnculuees 

 have not the fine imbricated form of the Persian, but have 

 Pffiony-formed flowers, which are larger and flower earlier. 

 Hercules, white ; Merveilleuee, yellow; and Romana, scarlet, 

 will be Buflicient of this family. 



Bannnculases require deep, rich, moist soil, well pulverised 

 and well aired — exposed to the weather by frequent stirring. 

 The Turban varieties should be planted from Ootober to Janu- 

 ary, and the Persian from January to March, 2 inches deep, 

 and the roots 4 to inches apart. In severe weather a mulch 

 may be given of litter, partially decayed leaves, or other pro- 

 tective material, removing it before the plants appear. Water 

 daring April and May, if the weather be dry, twice a- week, 

 and when the flower-buds appear and when in flower every 

 other day or dally, but avoid wetting the foliage. Take up 

 when the foliage is yellow, and store away in dry sand in a 

 cool dry place until planting time. Ranunculus aconitifoliua 

 flore-pleno has quite charming double white flowers ; R. acris 

 flore-pleno, double yellow; B. amplexicaulis with large pure 

 white flowers, are all three well worth a place in a moist 

 position in the herbaceous border, and will produce their 

 flowers in early summer. Though RanunouluBes delight in 

 moisture, it is rpquisite that the soil be well drained. 



Anemones. — We do not recommend these except for the 

 million. No plant is so floriferous, giving large supplies of 

 flowers; in fact, for a quantity of flowers of varied hues a bed 

 of the single Anemone from seed sown in July or early in 

 August will give a large supply of flowers the following sum- 

 mer. The doubles may be planted iu November to February 

 about 2§ to 3 inches deep, and 4 to 6 inches apart, afiording a 

 protection of partially decayed leaves in severe weather. They 

 like sandy loam enriched with leaf soil or vegetable refuse. 

 Though I do not press the claims of Anemones, I shall cer- 

 tainly put forward the double Wood Anemones (A. nemorosa 

 alba plena) and double rose (A. nemorosa rosea plena) as of 

 the most valuable, coming-in in spring when flowers are scarce ; 

 and having soft stems they keep freth some time. Then the 

 fiery brightness, orange scarlet, of A. pavonina flore-pleno, 

 with its narrow numerous petals, blooms in spring; the more 

 stately A. japonica, with its rose flowers; the still finer A. ja- 

 ponica alba {Honorine Jobert), with the chastest of white 

 flowers, at the end of September onwards, is truly grand as a 

 plant and iu a cat state, and ought to have a place in every 

 garden ; and even as a pot plant for the conservatory during 

 the early winter months. A. japonica and varieties require 

 rich deep loam, and if moist all the better. 



Iris.— Growers of the Iris have from May to July flowers 

 not put to shame by comparison with Cattleyas ; the gorgeous- 

 nesB of their colours and the extreme beauty of their form and 

 marking, at once render them the Orchids of the garden. 

 Many are very fragrant, particularly I. reticulata, the first to 

 flower, and I. persica. The scent of the Iris is comparable 

 onlv to Violets. 



The English Irh (I. anglica) in great variety attains a 

 height of about 18 inches, and produces large flowers of various 



shades of blue, purple, and lilac ; alba grandiesima being a fine 

 large white. They flower in July. 



Spanish Iris (I. bispanica) is smaller in all its parts than 

 the EDglish Iris, but the colour of the flowers is more dazzling, 

 and they are quainter in form, and the marking is very distinct 

 and varied. The Spanish Iris flowers in June. It requires 

 to be planted in autumn about G inches apart and 3 inches 

 deep, well-drained light loam being most suitable, though it 

 will grow anywhere except in shade. 



Japan Iris (I. Kaampferi) has what may be termed flat 

 flowers, the petals very broad, giving very nearly a circalar 

 form. The foliage consists of rather narrow, sub-erect, lanceo- 

 late leaves, spreading in a fan-like order, the flowers being 

 from 5 to 7 inches across. Their colours are blue, purple, 

 rose, salmon, orange, and white, with stripes, blotches, and 

 veins that baffle description. These Irises do best ia a peaty 

 soil, and if overlying a cool bottom which will afford moisture 

 without stagnation they are at home ; in fact, a strong loam 

 growing Rhododendrons well will grow this Iris perftctly. 



German Iris (I. germanica) commences flowering in May and 

 continues until the bulbous Irises — i e , Spanish and English, 

 come in, and continues often with those. The varieties are 

 very numerous, and in various colours — blues, purples, yellows, 

 reddish shades, and white, with reticulations, venations, 

 bronze and metallic hues, which give much beauty to the 

 flower, no flower improving so much upon inspection as the 

 Iris. The German Iris will grow anywhere, forming admirable 

 subjects for the margins of ponds or artificial waters, or in the 

 herbaceous border of strong soil or light. Iu the open parts 

 of woodland walks spots should be dug and the German Iris 

 planted by the thousand. The beauty of a bieadth of them 

 is grand for foliage, and gorgeous when in bloom ; and what 

 a grand subject is the I. pseudacorus in the mass in swampy 

 spots ! 



Crimean Iris (I. pumila) flowers in spring or early in sum- 

 mer, and occasionally again ia the autumn. It does well in 

 Rhododendron beds, and in front of herbaceous borders or the 

 base of rockwork. I. pallida, lavender blue, possesses a fine 

 odour ; I. sibirica has small flowers and narrow drooping 

 foliage ; besides those are many other species of Iris useful 

 for affording cut flowers. One of the many great claims of 

 Iiises to favour are their succeeding well in the impure atmo- 

 sphere of towns, not suffeiing from dust and smoke. 



Ills' persica does well in pots, potting iu September, allow- 

 ing a space the diameter of the bulbs between them, and half 

 that from the sides of the pots. They should be covered abont 

 an inch deep, making the soil firm about them, and give no water 

 until the foliage appears, and then only a little, increasing it 

 with the growth. The pots should be plunged in ashes in a 

 cold pit or frame, admitting air abundantly, but protect from 

 rains, and in severe weather afford mats as protection in addi- 

 tion to the lights. In February, or earlier, rtmove them to a 

 light airy position iu a greenhouse or other structure where 

 they will be gently brought forward. Its flowers are white 

 tinged with pale blue, the interior velvety purple, striped 

 orange and purple spotted, and sweet. 



27ie Peacock Iris (I. pavonia) has white flowers with three 

 blue blotches, one on each petal. It requires frame or cool- 

 house treatment. Suitable for pot culture may be mentioned 

 I. chinensis (Tiger Iris), starry red flower, spotted and striped 

 black ; I. iberica, white, marked with reddish purple ; I. reticu- 

 lata, violet, blotched yellow; I. ruthenica, blue-purple, netted 

 white ; I. stylosa, blue, yellow-blotched ; I. susiaua, blush, 

 tinted brown and netted with daik brown lines ; and I. tnbe- 

 rosa (Snake's-head Iris) with large singular flower, interior 

 petals green, the exterior petals velvety black. They need to 

 be potted in autumn, placed in a frame, and introduced to 

 gentle heat in January or February. In the frame or pit the 

 pots should be plunged in ashes, which will afford generally 

 sufficient moisture, but they are not to be allowed to become 

 dry. Note. — The German and other Irises are named under 

 the heading " Bulbs," but they, as everybody knows, are herba- 

 ceous plants, and I wish to explain that they ara introduced 

 here to make the continuation of their blooming season 

 complete. 



IxiAs. — These, with Sparaxis andBabianas, are to the spike- 

 flowering Orchids what the larger flowers of the Irises are to 

 Cattleyas and Lcelias, subjects with flowers of the richest and 

 brightest-spotted, streaked, blotched, flushed, and "tigered" 

 in a manner that cannot fail to please. 



All three require similar treatment, which is of two kinds — 

 viz., pot and outdoor. When grown outdoors the bulbs should 



