174 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 164. 



all the others down to the ground. It is easy to see how the 

 behavior of the three hardier seedling's might have been 

 misinterpreted under treatment of a different kind from that 

 which they received. 



Max Leichtlin mentioned Calandrina umbellata, a native of 

 Chili, which never experiences frost in nature but bears at 

 least seven degrees at Baden-Baden. Zephyranthes Candida is 

 still more remarkable, for, while it is found wild only in the 

 low, moist plains of the La Plata, the other species of Zephy- 

 ranthes being always on the hills, under cultivation in England 

 it is as hardy as a Snowdrop, and is the only one that can be 

 grown out-of-doors. 



On the question of seed-sowing, Max Leichtlin made the fol- 

 lowing suggestions : The seeds of all hardy plants germinate 

 more quickly and give better results if sown as soon as they 

 are ripe. It is, of course, often convenient, and even necessary, 

 to keep many seeds until the spring before sowing. Hard- 

 shelled seeds, he said, must be sown at once. I confess I do 

 not see the necessity for this. As a rule, seeds with a hard 

 shell are easily kept; they lose nothing by being kept, and they 

 germinate freely if soaked in hot water before being sown. 

 Seeds with oily albumen are, of course, an exception to this 

 rule. Immediate sowing is also recommended for seeds of all 

 bulbous plants as soon as ripe. Delay in the case of seeds of 

 Lilies, Fritillarias, Tulips and others means the loss of about 

 eighty per cent, of the seeds. The same rule holds good in 

 the case of Campanulas, or the seeds will lie dormant a whole 

 year. All bulb seeds, except those of Gladioli, should be buried 

 an inch deep, says Herr Leichtlin. 



The seeds of Himalayan Primulas take three weeks to ger- 

 minate unless exposed to a shower of rain after they have been 

 sown a few days, when they will germinate in twenty-four 

 hours. Others entirely lose the power to germinate if allowed 

 to get dry. I have found tropical treatment, such as one gives 

 to the seeds of Gloxinias, expedite the germination of such 

 seeds as Primula imperialis, P. Poissoni, P. prolifera, Ranun- 

 culus Lyallii and other sluggish hardy alpines. 



It is surprising how soon a high temperature with moisture 

 induces germination in such seeds. Victoria regia, which, 

 sown in a temperature of eighty-five degrees, takes a month 

 to push through the hard shell, may be made to germinate in 

 about three days if sown in water at a temperature of 160 de- 

 grees Fahrenheit. The seeds must be removed to a lower 

 temperature as soon as the plumule appears. 



Max Leichtlin believes much in the influence of frost on the 

 vegetation of seeds. Even those of such plants as Kniphofia 

 and Tecophylcea germinate more freely by exposure to frost 

 for a time after sowing. Soft, pulpy seeds, unless quite hardy, 

 should not be treated in this way. All bulbous seedlings 

 should be left in the seed-pan at least a year. 



Turning to the plants, he said all those with hairy or spiny 

 leaves require a dry sunny position. Nearly all Primulas are 

 happiest when planted in cool, shady spots. Hellebores thrive 

 best if exposed to full sun in winter, full shade in summer. 

 Manure was spoken of as the curse of the alpine-garden. Ac- 

 cording to Max Leichtlin, no rock-plant should have manure, 

 which may be true at Baden-Baden, but the reverse at Kew, as 

 well as in many other gardens. Nor do we find that most 

 bulbs grow equally well in light or heavy soils. Of course the 

 terms light and heavy are vague, but there are very many 

 hardy bulbous plants as well as tender the behavior of which 

 in light sandy loam is much less satisfactory here than in rich 

 buttery loam. Max Leichtlin advises that no manure should 

 be given to newly imported bulbs. I presume he meant only 

 those bulbs which have suffered much through exposure and 

 drought, as this cannot apply for Lilies, Tulips, Hippeastrums, 

 Narcissi and many other bulbs which are largely imported 

 annually. Most of his herbaceous borders, he stated, have 

 had no manure for ten years. This says much for the excel- 

 lent quality of the soil in his borders. All sick bulbs are 

 recommended to be lifted, washed and thoroughly cleaned, 

 and replanted in virgin soil. Li Hum candidum is invariably 

 ruined if dosed with manure. Fritillarias are naturally lime* 

 loving plants, but at Baden-Baden they thrive in a soil quite 

 free from lime. The American and Himalayan species like a 

 somewhat shaded position. 



The plants which received special notice at the meeting 

 were the following : Saxifraga Boydii, a hybrid between S. 

 aretioides and S. Burseriana, raised by Boyd, of Kelso. The 

 latter parent is one of the most beautiful of all cultivated 

 Saxifragas, both as a pot plant and on the rockery. S. Boydii 

 is exactly like it, except in the color of its flowers, which are 

 soft primrose-yellow. 



Chionodoxa grandiflora. — This is merely a variety of C. 

 Lucilia' with fewer flowered racemes, and flowers a little 



larger than in the ordinary forms of the type. It was pre- 

 viously called C. gigantea. There is a tendency among dealers 

 to overname these little hardy plants, Chionodoxas having 

 suffered a good deal from too much attention of this kind. 



Azalea mollis, vars. Mecene and Norma. — These are semi- 

 double varieties, good in habit, free-flowering, and the flowers 

 decidedly pretty. Mecene promises to be a really useful plant 

 for early forcing, as the flowers are white, with the faintest 

 tinge of yellow on the outer segments, and they would meet 

 with favor on account of their elegance and substance. Norma 

 is of similar character, but the flowers are orange-red. 



Other exhibits which received awards were Camellia Beauty 

 of Waltham, a perfect double flower with blush-white petals ; 

 Arum Palestinian, an old garden plant which is hardy in some 

 parts of England. It has a large black purple spathe and 

 spadix, and grows to about eighteen inches in height. This 

 plant is frequently sent to Kew by tourists in the Holy Land, 

 who imagine that they have discovered something new. It 

 was offered a year or two ago under the alluring name of 

 A. sanctum. „. T _ r 



London. w. Watson. 



Cultural Department. 



Calatheas. 



UNDER this head are included some of the best foliage 

 plants for warm-house culture, as well as some that will 

 succeed in moderate temperature. They are a moisture-lov- 

 ing group, and are doubtless found in the condition of under- 

 growth in tropical forests, the majority being natives of either 

 Central or South America. 



The few species referred to here are all well worth cultiva- 

 tion in the most select collection, and possibly may be more 

 readily recognized by some readers as Marantas, since most of 

 them were originally sent out under that name. • Many of the 

 Calatheas, or Marantas, prefer warm treatment, in order to 

 develop their beautifully marked leaves to perfection, and 

 during the summer they also require shading, as the foliage 

 of most of them is quite tender. In the matter of soil, a rough 

 open mixture is preferable, and jn potting it is best not to press 

 it down too firmly, else the roots do not easily penetrate it. 

 The drainage of the pots should also be looked after with care. 



By the term "warm treatment " is meant a temperature of 

 sixty-five to seventy degrees at night, with plenty of moisture 

 both in the atmosphere and at the roots of the plants, and 

 while such treatment will be congenial to many of the Cala- 

 .theas, yet there are some that can be successfully grown under 

 very different conditions. The propagation of these plants is 

 effected by division, and about this season of the year is a good 

 time for this operation, though it may be performed at almost 

 any season, if done with care. Spring or early summer is also 

 the most satisfactory time for repotting the plants, even though 

 the increase of stock is not desired. 



C. Veitchii, a plant of strong growth and very beautiful 

 foliage, is one of the best of the genus. It attains a height of 

 three feet or more, the leaves being ovate in form and stand- 

 ing almost upright, while in color they are dark, glossy green, 

 with several crescent-shaped blotches of yellow on each side 

 of the midrib, which are toned down by various shades of 

 green and white. The under side of the leaf is light purple, 

 and this adds to the rich effect of the whole. 



Another charming species is C. Makoyana, which is also 

 beautifully marked, though quite dwarf in habit. The leaves 

 of this plant are thrown up on slender foot-stalks to a height 

 of about one foot, and are oblong, with somewhat unequal 

 sides. The outer margin of the leaf ' is dark green, and the 

 centre semi-transparent and marked with yellowish white, in 

 which the veins show quite prominently. When well grown 

 this is a remarkably pretty plant, and is well suited for collec- 

 tions where space is an object. 



C. fasciata is also a good species, and of free growth. It 

 produces broadly ovate leaves nearly one foot in length and 

 about eight inches wide. * They are bright green, with broad 

 bands of white reaching from midrib to margin, and the under 

 side is pale green, flushed with purple. 



C. illustris, another distinct species, has ovate leaves of 

 bright green color, marked with bands of deeper green, and 

 also with two irregular bands of white, running from the base 

 to near the apex. The foliage of this species is also quite 

 large, and it is of free growth in a warm house. ■ 



C. roseo-picta is one of the most attractive small-growing 

 kinds, with glossy dark green leaves that are nearly round. 

 The midrib is rose color, and two bands of the same color 

 traverse the leaves almost from end to end. 



