536 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 246. 



of Christchurch, Hampshire, recently exhibited some new 

 varieties which promise to eclipse most of the older kinds 

 as decorative plants. Among them are Aureo-striata, nar- 

 row and rather short in leaf, with lines of deep yellow on a 

 green ground, and more or less spirally twisted ; Nobilis 

 has distinct parallel lines of brown not unlike the older 

 lineata, but the leaves are shorter and broader ; Compacta 

 nana accords with its name, and is a pretty little plant, 

 likely to become a favorite for table decoration ; Elegans 

 has linear arching leaves, and Lusiformis is another elegant 

 variety ; Rubra has rich bronzy brown foliage and is a 

 handsome plant. It was awarded a first-class certificate by 

 the Royal Horticultural Society. We believe these are all 

 selections from seedlings raised in New Zealand. 



New Chrysanthemums. — There were four Chrysanthe- 

 mums selected for certificates from the large number of new 

 seedlings shown this week : Mrs. C. Myers (Owen), a 

 broad-petaled, large-flowered, white Japanese ; Baron 

 Hirsch (Owen), a reddish bronze flower with golden re- 

 verse, of the incurved section, with broad substantial 

 petals. It is a large and promising variety for the exhibi- 

 tion-table ; William Seward (Seward), a Japanese variety, 

 with the color of Cullingfordii — that is, brownish crimson, 

 with buff reverse. The flower is large and of good form. 

 It was generally voted to be one of the best of the newer 

 seedlings. Beauty of Exmouth (Godfrey), a beautiful white 

 Japanese variety, said to be the result of a cross between 

 Avalanche and Stanstead Surprise. The flowers are very 

 large, globular, the petals broad and curled and pure ivory- 

 white. The plant grows about five feet high, and the 

 flowers are developed from October to January. 



New Zonal Pelargoniums. — Mr. Cannell has. produced 

 several varieties of merit this year. Among those exhibited 

 for certificates this week were Madame Bondeville, of 

 French origin, remarkable for the size of its flower-heads 

 and for the very pleasing color of its flowers, soft salmon, 

 with a distinct marginal line of rosy pink. Raspail Im- 

 proved is a genuine improvement on the original ; it is 

 larger in truss and much larger in flower than the popular 

 market variety Raspail. The flowers are rich scarlet, and 

 some of them measure over two inches across. Double 

 New Life is a remarkable sport of the third generation from 

 Vesuvius, obtained twenty-five years ago. Out of Vesu- 

 vius came Wonderful, which yielded New Life, a single- 

 flowered variety with white flakes or stripes on the petals. 

 From this has sprung Double New Life. It is only semi- 

 double, but its looseness and the white flakes on the petals 

 make it attractive. These received certificates. 



Melon Beauty of Syon is a new seedling which received 

 a first-class certificate this week from the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society. The gardener at Syon, Mr. G. Wythes, has 

 taken special interest in the culture and improvement of 

 the Melon, and he is to be congratulated on having raised 

 one which promises to become a general favorite. It was 

 raised from Hero of Lockinge and another, and has round, 

 medium-sized, yellow-netted fruit, smooth, with scarlet 

 flesh, melting, juicy and of first-rate flavor. The members 

 of the Fruit Committee were unanimous in its praise. It 

 will, no doubt, be better earlier in the season than in the 

 middle of October. „, „, 



London. I'V- WatSOtl. 



Cultural Department. 



Plants for Summer Decoration. 



MUCH has been said against the practice of bedding out, 

 but, after all, when the proper plants are used we can 

 secure effects in this way which are not obtainable in any other, 

 and as stock-plants are now in their winter quarters or pro- 

 tected and made secure, it is worth while to name some of 

 the plants which have proved most useful during the past 

 year, so that they can be propagated during the winter in suf- 

 ficient numbers for our purposes next season. It is well to 

 secure a considerable variety, if only to break the monotony, 

 of the too prevalent Coleus and Geraniums. 



Among the specits most worthy of cultivation is Acalypha 



tricolor, a plant of strong growth with ovate-acuminate leaves, 

 coppery green and beautifully blotched and colored with red 

 and crimson. Our hot summers suit it admirably, and it 

 shoidd be planted in the very warmest spot possible, and in 

 the full sunshine. It is easily propagated by cuttings, but 

 where the stock is limited the old plants must be preserved 

 for use. It does not lift well, and a little extra attention in this 

 particular will be well repaid. It is a stove-plant, and, there- 

 fore, must not be subjected to a low temperature when taken 

 from the ground. The young succulent growth of the tips of 

 the brandies will answer for cuttings, and large plants, cut 

 back root and branch, and laid on a bench wliere there is 

 gentle bottom-heat will soon break, and as fresh growth and 

 roots are made the plants should be potted and kept in a warm 

 house, and abundant cuttings will be afforded during the early 

 season of the year. 



Another useful plant is the variegated form of Sanchezia 

 nobilis. It is large, with leaves of intense green, their mid- 

 ribs and veins heavily margined with gold and yellow, so that 

 the entire plants can well vie with the popular Croton when 

 used in summer decoration. It grows more freely, however, 

 and is more easily propagated than Crotons, and stock can be 

 raised in a short time. Crotons themselves have formed such 

 striking features in the public parks of late that their use in 

 private grounds is sure to become extensive. In diversity of 

 color and form of foliage they are most attractive. They, too, 

 delight in full sunshine and rich soil, and copious supplies of 

 water during hot weather. Large plants are most effective, 

 but they require time to attain size. Smaller specimens will 

 be satisfactory, but instead of crowding them it is better to 

 use some dwarf plants to cover the surface of the bed, so that 

 the individual beauty of the Crotons can have full opportunity 

 to display itself. 



Very graceful and charming for summer use is Phyllanthus 

 Roseo-pictus. The variegation is exceedingly rich, no two leaves 

 showing precisely the same markings or tints. Many of the 

 leaves are bright crimson, which is also the color of the stem 

 during the early stages of its growth. Some are a light cream 

 color tinted with a delicate blush. Others, again, have a dark 

 bronzy hue shaded with crimson, while some are dark green 

 with blotches and spots of rose. Others are tricolored, being 

 white with different shades of rose and green. A plant six 

 or eight feel high and furnished to the ground, is a magnificent 

 sight. Smaller plants can be used as centres of beds with an 

 undergrowth of AltenSnthera aurea, which makes a pleasing 

 combination. When planted out, small plants grow rapidly. 

 They are multiplied by cuttings from the shoots and roots, the 

 latter being preferable. 



Grevillea robusta makes a beautiful specimen plant on ac- 

 count of its Fern-like foliage. In a group also it is well placed 

 in the centre of a bed. Plants raised from seed early in spring 

 will usually be large enough to plant out the same year, but 

 fall-sown seedlings are preferable for specimens. Older and 

 larger plants are very ornamental where space can be afforded 

 for wintering them, but as they grow rapidly and attain a height 

 of from eight to ten feet the second year, it is not necessary to 

 winter very large plants. The same is true of Eucalyptus 

 globulus, which is most effective either as a specimen or in a 

 clump, since its glaucous blue foliage is very striking among 

 deeper hues. 



Musa Ensete and M. Martini are both desirable the first year 

 from seed which is sown early in spring. Their foliage is 

 short and sturdy, and is not so liable to get broken by heavy 

 storms as is that of older plants. The best plants I have seen 

 grown were set in heavy soil. Papyrus Antiquorum, whether 

 treated as an aquatic or as a border plant, makes magniticent 

 groups, its tufted blooms rising to a height of eight feet. It 

 delights in a rich moist soil, and endures the weather better in 

 a bed or border than when submerged in water. Planted in a 

 mass with a border of Caladium giganteum the effect of the 

 light and dark foliage is very striking. Seeds sown very early 

 in the season and kept on growing will produce seedlings suit- 

 able for planting out the same year. 



Very desirable, although too rarely seen, is Cassia corymbosa. 

 Its beautiful yellow flowers are produced in abundance all the 

 season until frost. As soon as the foliage dies it can be pruned 

 back severely, when plants may be lifted and kept in a cold 

 place through the winter. It can be easily raised from seed, 

 however, although it does not flower, as a rule, until the 

 second season. The Coral Tree (Erythrina) is a useful com- 

 panion to the Cassia, and succeeds well under the same treat- 

 ment. E. Hendersoni, which bears abundant bright scarlet 

 flowers, is readily raised from seed, and one of the very best. 



The Rubber Tree, Ficus elastica, and its variegated form, 

 must not be omitted from this list of plants for summer deco- 



