IOO 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



February 



12, 1898, 



DlPLAD 



BREARLEYANA 



LATHYRUS SPLENDENS 



The dipladenias are among the most showy and interesting of stove 

 climbers, and yet they are now rarely met with, and I think the reason 

 is that modern cultivators do not succeed with them as well as with 

 many other subjects. There are a number of kinds in cultivation, but I 

 think the best of them all is D. Brearleyana, a garden hybrid, and one 

 that flowers most freely when well grown. 



The present month is a good time to start with a plant, which can 

 be obtained from any nursery where stove plants are grown for a small 

 sum. Not only does this dipladenia look well festooned under the roof, 

 but grown in a pot for exhibition it has very few rivals. We have a 

 specimen here that does exceedingly well ; it is planted out in a square 

 brick tank, eighteen inches long by the same in width. The soil it is 

 planted in is composed of two parts fibrous peat, one ot loam, and one of 

 leaf soil, with some one-inch pieces of charcoal, plenty of sharp sand, 

 and some dry half- inch bones. It is very important to have the latter 

 very dry, otherwise they will ferment when in the soil and cause injury. 

 After planting give it a thorough watering with tepid water, but little 

 will be required until the plant has become well established, and then it 

 must be given in very limited quantities, for dipladenias in general are 

 very impatient of water, while D. Brearleyana is especially so. I find it 

 does much better kept drier than most plants, and this is the secret 

 of success in its cultivation. 



The genus Lathyrus contains about a hundred and fifty specie 

 all of which are both handsome and interesting plants. * ■ S ' 0st 



tion is very wide, and only about ten species come from 

 America. These latter, however, contain the gem of the gen^ 

 splendens, a species figured in the present issue. Mr. Pringle dfe 8 * L 

 L. splendens in 1882, in the San Bernardino Valley, Southern CaliT^ 

 It is not, however, confined to this valley, but is fairly plentiful 1 

 highlands of the southern part of the state, where it is known ^ 

 Pride of California. The first plants raised in Europe were obta" *V 

 Kew from seeds sent by Professor Green, of Washington, in 18040" 

 of these was planted out in a low span-roofed house in the private 

 of the gardens known as the Melon Yard. Here it produced a 1 

 number of stems, some being ten feet long ; the growth is angular ^ 

 sparingly branched. The foliage varies somewhat, but as a rule *tl 

 leaves are two to four inches long, shortly petioled, composed of eieht 

 ten opposite, alternate leaflets that may vary from elliptic to linear A 

 divided tendril terminates each leaf. The racemes are long, and ca 

 from six to ten flowers, and usually with a pair of flowers at the b/^ 

 Each fully developed bloom measures about two inches across ; the sub 

 orbicular standard as well as the petals are of a rich blood-red hue but 

 the keel — an inch or more long — is rose-coloured. It will be seen'that 

 both in the shape of the flowers and in the style of inflorescence 



or 



When the young growths commence to start they will require some- Lathyrus splendens differs very largely from the garden varieties of 



" ' " ' m m * m ' " sweet peas. Then also it is perennial, while the latter are annual and 



this puts difficulties in the way of crossing the two. Unfortunately L. 

 splendens has not as yet proved hardy at Kew, for though growing freely 

 out of doors during summer, it does not survive our damp winter. In 

 California the species flowers during the winter season, and at Kew it 

 flowered! in March, 1897; so that even if it eventually proved hardy, or 

 half hardy here, the flowers would be injured and probably spoilt 

 altogether if not protected. As a greenhouse, conservatory, or winter 

 garden climber, Lathyrus splendens may, however, as it becomes more 

 plentiful, be found serviceable. The flowers are remarkably brilliant and 

 effective, more so than those of any other known species. We may add 

 that seeds ripened on the Kew plant last year. 



thing to climb up, until they reach the permanent wires on the roof ; they 

 like plenty of syringing, both in the mornings and afternoons on bright 

 sunny days. Shut up the house while there is plenty of sun heat, and if 

 the thermometer registers to 90 degrees, no harm will be done provided 

 there is plenty of moisture in the house, D. Brearleyana revels in the 

 sunshine, and especially when making new growth. When in bloom, 

 however, it is desirable to give a little shade in the hottest part of the 

 day, as the blooms then last much longer. Flowering commences about 

 July and continues until October. After the latter month water should be 

 entirely withheld for a couple of months at least, to enable the plants to 

 receive a thorough rest, but the temperature should not fall below 

 55 degrees at night, remembering that dipladenias are natives of the 

 Brazils, Trinidad, &c. 



D. boliviensis requires a little more heat in winter than D. Brear- 

 leyana, and 60 to 65 degrees at night will not be too much for this lovely 

 white species ; it makes a good companion to the pink and purple forms, 

 such as the new reintroduction, D. atro-purpurea. I had the pleasure of 

 flowering the latter for the first time last year ; it is evergreen, and a 

 valuable addition to the stove climbers. 



Totley Hall Gardens, Sheffield. 



T. W. BlRKINSHAW. 



CANAD 



Appl 



Prices of Grapes. 



The following extract from a letter sent me by a Dorsetshire grower 

 about the middle of January will, I am sure, be of interest to your readers. 

 I have taken the liberty of adding a few comments : — 



" Grapes have been very plentiful, but price I have thought very low. 

 I planted onehouse of Gros Colmar alternately with Muscat of Alexandria 

 and Canon Hall Muscat. The Muscats are not so strong as the others 

 by a good deal, but the grapes set very fairly and were ready to cut first. 

 The Canon Hall I was obliged to cut early because the berries burst ; 

 these sold at is. 9d. to 2s. 6d. per lb. Muscat of Alexandria came next 



THB uneven packing, and general poor quality of imported apples, to Jl t £ 1 j , q 9 f' 2S \ 6d ' p f ] b ' ™ us ™\ of Alex ^ ndl \ a came next ~ 

 which you drew attention in the issue of January -0 should eive the September, long before the Colmars under the same treat 



. 1 » • • 1 r • J J yi . 6 lAIC ment Were r**aHv <;n that fnv morUtmrr T m-ahU nAf nlonf tko com* 



necessary opportunity to British fruit growers to put good samples on 

 the market, and so to regain some of the prestige for home-grown fruit 

 which has been to a great extent lost. Now is the time, if ever, to restore 

 confidence between buyer and seller, and every effort should be made to 

 that end by selling only good samples which will compare favourably 

 with the imported rubbish which has flooded the markets this vear 

 It is much easier to lose prestige than to regain it, and there is no con- 

 cealing the fact that imported fruits have met in the past with great 

 favour among the middlemen, more from a matter of convenience than 

 from anything in the way of superior quality. I have been enabled during 

 this winter to inspect a great number of barrels and cases sent to local 

 shopkeepers, &c, and have been astonished at the large quantities of 

 poor fruits, and the bruised state they were in on arrival, especially as 

 we hear so much about the admirable way in which they are packed 

 and how well they travel. These apples were supplied, wholesale, at 

 prices which home growers rarely see for better fruits, viz., from 33s to 

 22s. per nine stone cask ; New York Pippins, in cases holding nine 

 dozen fruits, are quoted at lis. 6d. per case; Easter Beurre Pears, in 

 cases holding forty fruits, at 18s. 6d. per case, and so on. When the cost 

 ot carriage and the shopkeeper's profit is added, the fruits only reach the 

 consumer at a big price. In the same town first-rate samples of Kine of 

 Pippins, and even of Ribston Pippins, have been selling at from 4 s to 

 P^ r bushel, these representing top prices; but I quite believe that it 

 r W A °7f JJ t> e 50 } { confidence could be restored, and the shopkeepers 

 could be brought to see that they can obtain supplies equal to the 



tnhS^ submi * ted f ? r approval ; this they are at present very slow 

 to believe, on the principle of " once bit twice shy." 



Turning for a moment to the recent recommendation of "non-return- 



able 



Would their use lead to better 



rl ICU »y ™e growers It may be very well for growers on a lanre 



scale to adopt the system, but I do not see how it will benefit the sffiK S^L Ti D ^ omes « the tons grown over the Border r # wiw wjr 



growers. At present empty boxes, &c, are sent very cheiolv over rt\\ blac - k Allcantes * suppose they did not swell at stoning time. TM 



from the central market, and being pu^ cott vlt " wr r v «»* especially when thinned for keeping, and then not fillag 



ment were ready, so that for marketing I would not plant the same 

 varieties together again. The Gros Colmars I was afraid were going to 

 beat me at one time. Two vines, however, at the warmest end finished 

 fruit finely, but altogether they cost me a lot for heat ; the market price 

 obtained was is. 3d. and is. 4& per lb. Gros Maroc is easy to manage, 

 and, with berries as black as one could wish them, sold at is. 6d. to2S 

 per lb. Lady Downes made good vines, but it is not a good market 

 variety, for though it finishes well the bunches and berries were small 

 They realise good prices, however, where flavour is of the most im- 

 portance. We have a few pounds hanging yet (January 15). I had to 

 syringe Gros Colmar in one house as it was over-cropped and had red 

 spider badly, so that the grapes did not look very handsome, although 

 they were very good to eat. I sold none of these at Christmas for less 

 than is. 6d., while a few realised is. gd. per lb. Black Alicante I like as it 

 makes grand rods here from the top to the bottom of the house— sixteen to 

 eighteen feet. These I cropped the full length, and the grapes finished 

 well, sixteen to eighteen bunches to the rod ; that is I fruited every other 

 lateral. The berries were thinned severely, otherwise many of the 

 bunches would have weighed two pounds. I have sold all my Alicantes 

 at is. 9d to 2s. per lb." 



( With regard to this letter irom a small grower I do not think the 

 prices were low for the season of sale ; on the contrary, I have no reason 

 to think other growers have done better, and my experience is that at these 

 prices grape-growing will pay alright. To realise over two shillings per 

 pound grapes must be kept until the new year is fairly in, and then they 

 must be good. The feeding of the Canon Hall Muscats was evidently 

 too heavy just when the berries were colouring. The remarks anent 

 Gros Maroc are of value as showing that the public will have a large- 

 berried grape irrespective of a really first-rate flavour. Lady Downes « 

 n finA coifloKu — — m ••<.. • _i_ _ 3 j kept; other- 



With' regard 



This 



same rate, and would still have the S^lr^ta.S ToZ 



fhro uXIT™ 2 h ° m ?' WhiGh WOuId Probablybe more expensive stilf 

 mlkmg g t0 empl ° y mCn n0t ^rienced in the workof light box 



J 



l?fl>^" ia -- M :. . F *~. .^rector of the Forceries de 



l'Aisne, 



cross between P. pulcherrima and P. rosea 



bracts, which are pr^^^^ £ Kof^ffiff ^ 



j .^„..», 6 , copcciany wnen tninnea ior Keeping, aim men r 

 up. The weight was light, but probably the strong wood growth team 

 the previous season was too great a tax. Better grapes will be had t» 

 season. The particulars with respect to Gros Colmar show that m 

 grower was not well acquainted with them ; they need much heat 

 finish well, especially if over-cropped, and our worst enemy— red sp id 5\ 

 steps in. There is not the slightest doubt but that Gros Coiniw 

 requires its own special house and treatment to succeed. Except ju»i" 

 a very hot corner, for the sake of having late grapes, I never afl«J 

 mixed planting. If growers realise an average of is. 6d. per pound 

 the last three months of the year they will not be doing badly. 



Bottesford Vineries, Notts. STEPHEN Castle, F.RH.» 



