AuGtrsT 17, 1912 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



629 



neath. The flowers, which are over an inch 

 across and freely borne, are of the purest 

 white, with the lower segment freely dotted 

 with purple. Eranthemum seticalyx is a 

 pretty and distinct species that branches 

 freely, and bears its flowers in tenninal 

 heads or panicles. The individual flowers, 

 which are aibout an inch across, are very 

 bright red, with a crimson stripe in 

 the centre of the lower segment. A singu- 

 lar feature of this species is the resemblance 

 that, at a superficial glance, the flowers bear 

 to those of that pretty little South African 

 bulbs — Anomatheca cruenta. 



Torenia atropurpurea. 



Of this uncommon species there is a very 

 attractive specimen in the intermediate 



portion of tlie T range, 

 uspended basket, and, 



known kinds is 



It is grown in .a 

 oompaj-ed with the 

 of close, compact 



growth, the dense mass of leafage heing 

 plentifully sprinkled with purple flowers, 

 the interior of the throat being of a deeper 



hue. 



Lankesteria Barter!. 



A near ally of the eranthemums ; indeed 

 the Lankesterias are sometimes included in 

 that genus. It forms an upright growing 

 plant, clothed with olblong acuminat-e leaves 

 about six inches in length, and more or 

 less undulated at the margins. The flowers, 

 which are densely borne in a terminal spike, 

 with, in .some cases, two or three supple- 

 mentary ones, are of a pale yellow colour 

 with a deep yellow centre, and attract at- 

 tention by reason of their uncommon ap- 

 pearance and the profusion in which they 

 are iborne. This Lankesteria is a native of 

 western tropical Africa, and does well in 

 the intermediate portion of the T range, 

 where it is now in flower. 



Dipladenia atropurpurea. 



Twenty years ago a large amount of in- 

 terest was centred in lihLs dipladenia, from 

 the fact that it had been accidentally re- 

 introduced after being lost to cultivation 

 for many years. It is a native of Brazil, 

 and was first grown in this country in 1814, 

 but was quite an unknown plant when 

 given a first-class certificate by the Royal 

 Horticultural Society in 1892. Compared 

 with many of the dipladenias, the flowers 

 are small, being about a couple of inches 

 across, and in colour deep velvety-crimson, 

 a decidedly uncommon tint. It flowers 

 freely in a small state, and in this way mav 

 be seen in the T range. 



Achimenes. 



A very interesting assortment of these are 



in flower in the T range, while in the green- 

 house therA ic n Q+Hlr^Tio- rrv/^iir^ -r^f A/>l»i_ 



menes grandiflora magnifica. 

 with many members of the 

 Mexican 



Compared 



this 



EUCRYPHIA PINNATIFOLIA, 



This is one of the most distinguished or 

 July flowering slirubs, for the flowers are 

 large and conspicuous, and a well-developed 

 bush may be consideralbly more than 12ft. 

 high and 6ft. to 12ft. or more in diameter. 

 Unfortunately, good specimens are rarely 

 met with, and even small plants are not 

 common, a condition, doubtless, due to the 

 difficulty of propagation and the doubtful 

 hardiness of very young plants. 



A native of Chili, the species belongs to 

 the order Rosaceae, the white flowers re- 

 semhling those of a single rose, 2in. to 3in. 



or a single camellia. The short pin- 

 nate Heaves are made up of narrow, dark 

 green leaflets, which are evergreen in mild 

 climates, ibut deciduous in moderately 

 severe winters. E. pinixatifolia thrives in 

 well-drained, loamy soil, but is partial to 

 a little peat about the roots. Layering has 



NEPHROLEPIS EXALTATA 



MUSCOSA* 



It is very rarely a varietal form of a 

 fern receives a first-class certificate at the 

 hands of the Royal Horticultural Society, 

 and the possibility of such an award is 

 mater ialh' reduced when the spec'es is 

 known to be extremely variable, and seve- 

 ral forms of it are already on the market. 

 A\Tien, therefore, a newcomer secures the 

 highest award obtainable, in view of these 

 circumstances, it must possess merit and 

 beauty quite out of the (x>mmon. There 

 is no doubt about the fitness of the award 

 made to Nephrolepis exaltata musoosa on 

 July IG last, when it wiis exhibited by 

 Messrs. H. B. May and Sons. This variety 

 is of sturdy, dwarf habit, and its light 

 green fronds are well dividtxl, but they 

 possess a tougher texture than found in 



"1 



An 



NEPHEOLEPIS EXALTATA MUSCOSA. 



elegant, dwarf variety, with sturdy, somewhat erect light-green frond.s 

 R.H.S., July 16. Messrs. H. B. May and Sons, Upper Edmonton. 



F.C.C., 



genus, 



species is of vigorous growth, as it 

 reaches a yard in height, and the light pur- 

 ple flowers, which are borne in great pro- 

 fusion, are about 2iin. in diameter. While 

 suitable for pot culture, it is ako seen to 

 advantage in suspended baskets, where 

 there is ample room for its development. 

 I'or smaller structures, some of the lees 

 vigorous kinds are suitable, one of the best 

 being Achimenes coccinea, a specie© with 

 =iniall, brilliantly-coloured flowers. It is a 

 native of Jamaica, and is interesting .aa 

 being the first achimene introduced into 

 this country. As they can ^be readily in- 

 creased, and their cultural requirements 

 ^re but simple, it is surprising that achi- 

 menes are not more often grown. One 

 thing to bear in mind in their culture is 

 that, like many other gesneraceous plants, 

 ^ liberal amount of leaf-mould in the soil 

 IS very beneficial 



been the usual means of propagation in the 

 past, but it has not ibeen very satisfactory, 

 for after the branches have taken two years 

 to form roots, many of the young plants 

 have 'been lost in the effort to establish 

 them after being severed from the parent 

 plant. Seeds are sometimes ripened in the 

 country, and these form the most satisfac- 

 tory means of propagation. One of the 

 finest plants in the country is to be found 

 in the gardens at Trewidden, near Pen- 

 zance, whilst Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons, of 

 Clielsea, have one or more fine examples in 

 tlieir Coombe Wood Nursery. 



W. Dallimore. 



many plumose nephrolepis; and, conse- 

 quently, there is excellent promise that 

 this fern will occupy a very high position 

 among those so generally grown for 

 in the home and for market cultivation. 



K. 



"Cabnations, Picotees, and Pinks" will 



tell you plainly how to grow theee favourite 

 flowers to perfection. The work iB freely illus- 

 trated with plates of leading varietiea, and ex- 

 planatory diagrams. Price 2s. 6d. net by post, in 

 box, 28. lOd., from W. H. and L. CoIIingridge, 

 148 and 149, Aldersgate Street, London. 



Aphelandra tetragona. — This, 



also known as Aphelandra cristata, is re- 

 markable among aphelandras for two rea- 

 sons, fir.st, because it is one of the large^^t 

 growers in the genus; and, secondly, because 

 it is really the oldest of them all, having 

 been introduced from the West Indies in 

 1733. Like most o; the others, it is of up- 

 right growth, and the erect stem which 

 reaches a height of a yard or more, clothed 

 with dark-green, broadly ovate leaves. The 

 flowers, which are borne in a terminal de- 

 cussate spike, subtended by three or four 

 smaller ones, are of a deep scarlet colour. 

 They are produced at different seasons of the 

 year.— W. T. 



1 



