November 13, 1889.] 



Garden and Forest, 



547 



mixed bunch of Pernettyas. A group of dried grasses from 

 South Africa attracted a good deal of attention, the chocolate 

 brown Cyperus or Carex being highly ornamental. The 

 Chrysanthemums, though few, were choice, Stanstead Sur- 

 prise, a seedling from a Japanese variety, from J. Laing & 

 Son, being of fine form, and a warm rosy crimson color. 

 It received a first class certificate. Stanstead White, an in- 

 curved Japanese, pure white, of large, fine form, is very 

 distinct and desirable. M. Benard, a refiexed Japanese, with 

 purple amaranth, very large flowers, attracted much attention. 

 From Kent, the home of flowers, M. Pankoncke, madder 

 brown, received an award of merit. William Neville also 

 received an award of merit. It is reflexed, orange buff and of 

 very fine form. Eynsford White was perhaps the finest in the 

 show. It is far superior to Avalanche, the florets broad, strap- 



These autumn Crocuses are very ornamental, filling up a large 

 gap at a time when tlowers of this nature are rather scarce, 

 and especially in the rock-garden, where the groups of alpines 

 have long since begun to show the sere and yellow leaf. The 

 majority of them are very easily cultivated, and a few of them, 

 notably C. speciosus, C. /iiedius and C. 7tudiflorus, multiply with 

 surprising rapidity. Their only fault, if such it may be te'rmed, 

 is that most of them flower before the leaves have attained 

 any material size ; but even this is easily remedied by plant- 

 ing them, as is now almost vmiversally practiced, among Pinks, 

 and other loose, tufty plants. In this matter, however, they 

 are free from one great objection we have always felt to the 

 autumn Colchicums, which are also erroneously called 

 autumn Crocuses — that is, the large and very ugly leaves 

 produced l)y the Colchicums in spring, if planted in borders 



Fiij. 143. — Ficus elastica in the Butanic Garden at Peradenya, Ceylon. — See page 514. 



shaped, reflexed and pure white. It looks like a huge snow- 

 ball. M. Charles Lebroscj, a single variety, with citron or 

 Indian yellow flowers, small, but abundant, also received an 

 award of merit. Octavie is an extremely pretty Begonia, 

 and very useful for autumn cutting, the flowers double, white, 

 and remarkably like those of the Camellia. Gyvinogt-ainme 

 schizophylla, var. gloriosa, from Mr. May, received a bronze 

 Banksian medal. It is a most lovely form. The Adiantums 

 in this group, as usual, were finely colored. W. Watson. 



London. 



Cultural Department. 



Autumn Crocuses. 



'X*HE autumn Crocuses, of which there are now twenty dis- 



■*■ tinct species, exclusive of well marked or garden varieties, 



have flowered remarkably well in English gardens this season, 



notwithstanding the unusually large rainfalls of last year. 



or beds which at this time are expected to look their very 

 neatest. It would be a pity to discard them on this account, 

 however, and we have compromised the matter by planting 

 them in the grass in the pleasure garden or park, wiiere they 

 do very well and make a pretty featin-c. The spring Crocuses 

 are abundant enough, including all the different forms and 

 bright colors of C. aureus, C. chrysanthus, C. biforus, and the 

 handsome various-colored C. Imperati; but tiie autumn ones, 

 amongst, which we have also a pure yellow, several purples of 

 different shades and many whites, come, as already stated, at a 

 time when such flowers are scarce, and, therefore, they are 

 doubly welcome. It is rare to see these Crocuses destroyed by 

 frosts ; the earlier ones, beginning with the middle of August, 

 are over before the frosts are severe enough. Heavy rains do 

 most damage, and this is more apparent in the absence of a 

 groimd-work which serves as a support to the long and 

 usually weak flower-tubes. C. Sharojani is the first to make 

 an appearance, about the middle of August, and in very hot 



