

286 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[April 27, 1912. 



PRIMULA WATTII. 



Plants of this beautiful species of Primula 

 have been raised in the Royal Botanic Garden, 

 Edinburgh, from seed obtained by Mr. W. W. 

 Smith, who collected the plant in July-August, 

 1910, in the limited area of its distribution in 

 the Chola Range, Eastern Sikkim. It is there 

 found on banks and ridges in profusion in a 

 few places, but rare" in other localities. The 

 plant flowers in its native home from mid-July 

 to the beginning of August. It grows in very 

 wet conditions, with rain or heavy mist prevail- 

 ing during every day of the flowering season. 

 The seed was sent to Edinburgh from the Royal 

 Botanic Garden, Calcutta, in 1911, and the plants 

 at Edinburgh are probably the first to flower in 



Europe. 

 The foliage is of a translucent green softened 



by a covering of hairs. From the rosette rises a 

 bronze-tinted scape ending in a cluster of droop- 

 ing purple flowers surmounted by a bronze cap 

 of unopened buds. The wide-mouthed, bell- 

 shaped corollas have a broad eye of white meal, 

 which is not visible unless the flower is seen from 

 below. 



The plant is a typical member of the Soldancl- 

 loid section of Primula which includes P. Reidii 

 and P. uniflora ; both these species are also in 

 flower now at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. The 

 plant has been grown in a cold frame ; coming 

 from an altitude of 12-000-13.000 feet. The 

 species may prove hardy, but the soft, hairy 

 foliage suggests that, like P. Reidii, it may be 

 too sensitive to the dampness of our winters dur- 

 ing its resting period. This species was shown 

 at a recent meeting of the R.H.S. by Messrs. R. 

 Gill & Son, with the provisional name P. Gillii 

 (see Gardeners* Chronicle, April 6, 1912, p. 227). 



SOCIETIE 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 



Scientific Committee. 



April 16. — Present; Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., 

 F.L.S. (in the Chair) ; Rev. Canon Fowler, Dr. 

 A. B. Rendle, Professor G. Henslow, Messrs. A. 

 Rolfe, W. E. Ledger, W. Hales, J. T. Bennett- 

 Poe, A. W. Sutton, A. Worsley, J. Fraser, and 

 J. F. Chittenden (hon. sec). 



Stark ys pahistris. — Mr. J. Fraser showed a 



specimen of the rhizome of this common British 

 plant, and remarked on the similarity between 

 it and the Chinese Stachys tuberifera, the 

 rhizomes of which are edible. 



Wallflowers (see also p. 285). — Professor G. 

 Henslow showed a series of dark red and paler 

 yellow Wallflowers which had been grown at 

 Wisley from seed obtained by him in 1911 by 

 crossing a virescent Wallflower with carpellary 

 stamens with pollen from red and yellow plants 

 respectively. No malformed flowers had ap- 

 peared in this generation. 



Tasmanian Orchids. — Mr. Odell showed, on 

 behalf of Mr. Andrew Kingsmill, an interest- 

 ing series of coloured photographs of Tasmanian 

 Orchids, representing the following terrestrial 

 genera : — Pterostylis, Chiloglottis, Caladenia, 



Djuris, Calochilus, Dipodium, Glossodia and 

 Diplarrhena. 



Ranunculus Ficnria. — Mr. Chittenden showed 

 a semi-double form of Ranunculus Ficaria, 

 having several series of strap-shaped petals 

 green on the outside, as well as two or three 

 whorls of stamens. It had appeared in the 

 gardens at Wisley. 



Carpentaria californica. — Mr. Odell showed 

 foliage of this plant spotted with numerous 

 brown spots, owing to the attack of the fungus 

 Cladosporium herbarum. 



Lilium candidum disposed.— Mr. E. H. Jen- 

 kins sent leaves of Lilium candidum showing 

 numerous secidia of a Uromyces, which was re- 

 ferred to Mr- Chittenden for further examina- 

 tion. 



Petrea volubilis (see fig. 139). — Rev. F. Page- 

 Roberts sent a dried inflorescence of a climbing 

 plant with blue flowers from Ceylon, which was 

 recognised as the American Petrea volubilis, a 

 plant which varies considerably in colour. 



Bi-coUured Hyacinth. — Mr. W. B. Gingell, 

 of Dulwich Park, sent an inflorescence of a 



Hyacinth having one side red, the other blue, 

 which was referred to Rev. Prof. Henslow for 

 further examination. 



Gooseberry, racemose form. — Mr. W. G. 

 Smith, of Dunstable, sent drawings illustrating 

 flowers and fruit of a racemose form of Goose- 

 berry, which had been referred to previously as 

 a hybrid between the Gooseberry and the Black 

 Currant on account of the thickly-produced clus- 

 ters of very dark berries and their flavour, which 

 was said to be intermediate between the Goose- 

 berry and Black Currant. On careful examina- 

 tion of the flowers and fruit he had, however, 

 been unable to find any trace of Black Currant. 

 The plant appeared to be wholly Gooseberry with 

 flowers and fruit borne in racemes of from two 

 to five. He could detect no Black Currant 

 flavour, although the taste was delicious and 

 strong. No oil glands are present on any part 

 of this new form, and the fruits are perfectly 

 glabrous. The pollen is exactly that of the gar- 

 den Gooseberry. It flowers three weeks in ad- 

 vance of the Black Currant. The merit 

 of the plant lies in its great fruit-pro- 

 ducing properties, as on a given length of branch 

 it produces more fruit in weight than, probably, 



FlG. 138. — PRIMULA WATTII : FLOWERS 



*" WHITE. 



(The plant is reproduced natural size.) 



■ 



any other bush extant. The colour of the fruit 

 when ripe is deep, almost black, maroon or dark 

 mahogany, becoming black. The cuttings strike 

 freely in any soil, many of last year's shoots 

 being nearly a yard in length. Seeds planted 

 by Mr. Smith did not germinate. The plant 

 originated as a seedling in a market-grower's 

 garden in the South of England, where it was 

 regarded as a variety more curious than useful. 



HANTS. SPRING FLOWER SHOW. 



April 18. — The spring show of the above 

 society, held on the above date, was excellent in 

 every way, and at the same time extremely well 

 attended by a large concourse of spectators. 

 Although this year the season was much too 

 advanced to suit Daffodils and other spring 

 bulbs, the show was representative of Daffodil 

 cultivation. Messrs. Barr's cup for 30 varieties 

 was again won by J. Cator, Esq., M.P., whose 

 exhibit was w r ell up to the standard of recent 

 years. The varieties Van Waveren's Giant, 

 King Alfred, and Mrs. J. Veitch were in great 

 form; Alida and M. J. Berkeley, although old 

 varieties, also looked well. A capital vase of 

 Leedsii Duchess of Westminster was greatly 

 liked, too, while the President's prize for the 

 best vase in the show went to a vase of Red 

 Beacon, shown also by this exhibitor. Mrs. 

 Senior's Tulips and Hyacinths were grand, 



indeed better plants would not be seen at any 

 show, and her Lily of the Valley grown and 

 shown in pots made one envy the success of her 

 gardener, Mr. Davis. 



Among trade exhibits Messrs. R. H. Bath 

 Ltd., and Cartwright & Goodwin had grace- 

 ful stands; " Queen of Poets " being given an 

 Award of Merit on the former's stand, whilst 

 Messrs. Cartwright's seedlings came' in for 

 much praise. That veteran nurseryman, Mr 

 G. W. Miller, Wisbech, of " Red Victoria " 

 fame, put up a lovely stand of Orchids, Odonto- 

 gloesums, Oncidiums in variety, Cattleyas, 

 Schroderse, &c, in great form. A fine Cypri- 

 pedium seedling of insigne type was given an 

 Award of Merit, and was named after the presi- 

 dent " Col. Duncombe." 



ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL 



April 17. — The monthly meeting of this 

 society was held on this date at the Institution 

 of Civil Engineers, Great George Street, West- 

 minster, Dr. H. N. Dickson (president) in the 

 chair. 



The report on the phenological observations 

 for 1911 was presented by Mr. J. E. Clark, B.A., 

 and Mr. R. H. Hooker, M.A. The outstanding 

 Veatures of the weather during the year were the 

 severe cold of early April ; the summer of ab- 

 normal dryness, heat and sunshine ; and the 



, subsequent heavy rainfall. After referring to 

 the flowering of plants, the appearance of in- 

 sects and the song and migration of birds, the 

 authors dealt with the yield of farm crops and 

 showed that crops of Potatos and Wheat were 



' above the average, but most of the other crops 

 were below the average, especially Beans, roots, 

 and hay. Throughout Great Britain harvest 

 began generally a fortnight to three weeks earlier 



' than usual, and the duration was very short, the 

 result being that the termination of the harvest 

 was fully a month earlier than the average. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF 



IRELAND. 



April 17, 18. — The spring show of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society of Ireland was held on these 

 dates at Ball's Bridge. The entries were more 

 numerous than on any previous occasion, and the 

 exhibits staged by traders were exceptionally fine. 

 Four challenge cups were offered, and there was 

 keen competition. 



The cup offered for nine pot Roses was won by 

 Mr. H. S. Guiness, Burton Hall; that offered 

 for Alpines in flower by Mrs. Greet, Curragh 

 Grange; the Tully Nurseries cup offered for a 

 "'table of Alpine plants by Mrs. G. Mitchell, 

 Ardlui, Blackrock; and the cup presented by 

 Lord Ardilaun for a collection of Narcissi m 50 

 varieties by Capt. R. G. O'Callaghan. 



Amongst the non -competitive exhibits, Messrs. 

 Bakers, Wolverhampton, exhibited a meritorious 

 collection of hardy plants; Messrs. Browett 

 showed a collection of flowering plants and Pan- 

 sies (certificate and medal) ; and Sir Gore Booth, 

 Lissadel, displayed a beautiful collection oi 

 Daffodils and hardy plants (Gold Medal). 



HEREFORDSHIRE SPRING 



FLOWER. 



April 18.— The third exhibition of the Here- 

 fordshire Spring Flower Society was held m trie 

 Shire Hall, Hereford, on this date, the weather 

 being beautifully fine. * - ,. 



Messrs. Barr & Sons* Cup, offered for Zb ex- 

 tinct varieties of Daffodils, was won by 3ii» 

 Parr. In the open classes Mrs. Davenport *as 

 awarded the 1st prize for a single bloom or 

 Magni-coronati variety, Mrs. W. H. Ban* 

 being placed 1st for a Medio and P*rvi variety 

 respectively. Mrs. H. J. Bailey excelled in w 

 class for a Polyanthus Narcissus, whilst Jirs. 

 A. W. Foster won the challenge cup offer ea oy 

 Mrs. F. Mount for 12 varieties of Daffod Us. - 1* 

 challenge cup offered by the Lord Lieutenant 

 Hereford for a collection of Daffodils S r ^J K3j 

 the countv was won by Mr. W. H. *>- * ' 

 Kington. Mr. W. Henry Bameby s chaue ^ 



cup, offered for a collection of ^_ ar ^ y b ^ n ks, 

 flowers, was won outright by Mr. vv. n. - ■* 

 who also won Sir James Rankin's challenge ^ 

 offered for a collection of outdoor-flower 

 shrubs. 



