254 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



March 30, 1912, 



ander^ grower to Lieut. -Colonel Sir George 

 Holford, Westonbirt, Gloucester. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM QUEEN OF GALTON. 



A very handsome and free-flowering hybrid 

 obtained bv crossing O. percultum with 0. 

 triumphans. It has a good deal of the form 

 of the last-named and the bright chestnut 

 brown markings on the yellow ground a'so 

 indicate the influence of this fine old species. 

 The whitish lip has a few small red-purple 

 markings. A.M., R.H.S., March 19. Mr. 

 Collier, gardener. 



BEGONIA DICHROA. 



A handsome Brazilian species, of tall 

 growth and lax habit. It has large rhom- 



in a loose terminal raceme from six inches 

 to ten inches long. Unfortunately, this 

 plant is not easily propagated, but once a 

 ready means of increase is found it should 

 become fairly popular. " Bot. Mag./' t. 8,413. 



BERBERIS WILSONiE. 



This is a sub-evergreen shrub introduced 

 from Western or Central China by Mr. E. H. 

 Wilson, when collecting for Messrs. J. Veitch 

 and Sons. It is of dwarf-spreading habit, 

 and therefore is desirable for undergrowth to 

 taller, light-growing trees, or for planting in 

 the rock garden, Tlie flowers are golden 

 vellow and freely borne, and followed by yel- 

 lowish or salmon-red berries. "Bot. Mag.,*' 

 t. 8.414. . 



PRIMULA KNUTHIANA. 



A dwarf Chinese species with rosy-lilac flowers and mealy 



March 19. Messrs. Jas. Veitch and Sons, 



leaves 

 Chel 



A.M., R.H.S., 



boid-elliptic leaves, blotched with white, and 

 the brilliant orange-scarlet flowers are car- 

 ried in a large branched panicle at the end 

 of a stout peduncle. The species needs tropi- 

 cal treatment under cultivation, and where 

 there is ample room it should prove worthy 

 of attention. "Bot. Mag.," t. 8,412. 



ELLIOTTIA RACEMOSA. 

 A beautiful shrub or small tree, from the 

 Southern United States. It is hardy at Kew, 

 and does well among rhododendrons and 

 heaths, but while it belongs to the heath 

 family it is quite unlike a heath in appear- 

 ance, as the oblong, dark-green leaves are 

 whitish underneath, and from two inches to 

 four inches long; the white flowers are borne 



DISA LUGENS. 



A South African terrestrial orchid of slen- 

 der growth, with long narrow, linear leaves 

 and an erect spike, carrying several flowers 

 of moderate size, with blue-green striped 

 sepals and an elongated beautifidly fringed 

 lip. "Bot. Mag.," t. 8,415. 



CALCEOLARIA CANA. 



r 



A Chilean species of perennial, tutted habit. 

 The loosely-branched inflorescence carries a 

 number of small flowers, that are white, suf- 



and freely marked with 

 The throat is vellow 



fused with rose, 

 deep rose or purple, 

 and purple-brown. The flowers are violet 



scented, "Bot. Mag./' t. 8,416. 



SPIR^A THUNBERGL 



This is the earliest of the spi'iug-flowerinff 

 spiraeas to open its flowers^ and it is not 

 u n-commoai for a number of the earlier 

 blossoms to appear in February, although 

 the normal flowering time is the latter end 

 of March and early in April. A native of 

 China and Japan, it has long been an occu- 

 pant of our gardens, its presence hein^ 

 valued almost as greatly by reason of it^ 

 elegant leafage as by its star-like white 

 flowers. Growing two to three feet ia 

 height, it forms a shapely bush of small 

 wiry branches, on which the delicate green 

 linear leaves appear in April. Tlie flowers 

 are from axillary buds from almost every 

 part of last year's growth. They are small 

 inclividviallyj but lack of size is compen- 

 sated for by numbem. 



S. Thunbergi is considered to be one of 

 the parents of the popular S. arguta, a 

 form which is easily one of the best dozen 

 early-flowering shrubs. From this reason 

 there would appear to be a chance of its 

 turning out to be a valuable plant in the 

 hands of the hybridist. A number of 

 hybrid spiraeas are already in cultivation, 

 but they are mostly natural hybrids, and 

 very little appears to have ibeen done with 

 the genus towards systematic hybridisa- 

 tion. In addition to being a good border 

 plant, S. Thunbergi can be used with efiFect 

 as a forced shrub for greenhouse decora- 



tion 



W. D. 



CALLICARPA AMERICANA. 



Habitues of the Royal Horticultural So- 

 ciety's periodical flower shows must be 

 well acquainted with Callicarpa purpurea, 

 the stove species which bears such a quan- 

 tity of shining violet-purple berries. But to 

 be successful with that plant plenty of air 

 is necessary during the flowering period, 

 or there will be no berries, and the flowers 

 are so insignificant that unless the plants 

 are w^ell fruited they have no ornamental 

 value. As a rule, the stove houses in pri- 

 \'ate gardens have to accommodate such a 

 diversity of plants that it is almost im- 

 possible to afford ample ventilation just for 

 a few particular plants, so CaUiandra pur- 

 purea rarely finds a place. 



But the subject of this note, being mucfa 

 hardier, is more easily grown, and rmm 

 with advantage be cultivated in establish- 

 nients where uncommon greenhouse plants 

 are admired. As with the Indian species, 

 the coloured berries are its chief attrac- 

 tion, but in this case the branches of tne 

 shrub are whitish, and the leaves have a 

 dense tonestun on their undersides. in^ 

 small flowers, which are red in colo^ir, are 

 borne in ax illary cymes, and the J^^'^' 

 ries are also brighter in colour than tlios 

 of the stove species. The berries, ot 

 Callicarpa americana become a 

 reddish-purple colour, and make an airoob 

 startling contrast with the whitish stems 



of the plant. ffi-cins 

 With their customary methods ot attixjj 



popular names, the Americans have cc 

 this plant the " French Mulberry, aiiu 

 it is neither a native of France nor a imi 

 berrv, we suspect that they are mimense^.^ 

 pleased with the inspiration. ^ V_ +he 

 tural conditions to be recomniended roi 

 successful treatment of Calhcarpa am 

 cana are those of the greenhouse 

 except that peat should be "sed mste.^^^ 

 leaf-mould. After the plants ^'^^e 

 cut back in the spring, the young sn ^^^^ 

 taken with a heel of old wood, r<wT i ' 

 under a hand-glass. When the .Pl«"5^„„a. 

 mence to flower they should be gn en . 

 ance of air in ordov t') set tlicu 

 which the negroes of Ah.lmma 

 esteem as a preserve. Cecil . 



