182 



GARDENERS' 



MAGAZINE. 



March 



19, it* 



HARDY SPR 



Flow 



.« ... „ in n f rold weather during the last few weeks has 

 ALTHOUGH the settrngm of ^unfortunately somewhat 

 somewhat reta ded m any g spnn. Rhododendron pr;ccox 



spo.led some less hard) . is now nevertheless a fair show of 



and on the Alps I have invariably seen it on meadows amonc w 

 at an altitude of 4,000 to 6,000 feet. P. rosea is just Si 

 flowers, and will no doubt be at its best, if the weather fflS? * 6 * 

 the time these notes appear, Dentaria digitata is again m ^ 

 produce its long terminal racemes of deep violet or lil a r.°vll!! en , cin 8 U» 



- 



bpoucu , - there ji now nevertheless a lair snow 01 Th s s best grown unuc uc« or in nait-shady beds CnrwKr » 



Megasea Strachejj, ^and o^^r ^ { ^ ^ ^ Q. mtsefoha have pretty, fernlike, glaucous Se? S ^ 



seasonable hardy flowers, and beds chionodoxa LuciliiE and , e flowers . T hey are both easily grown inTshelST 1 



now a mass of MOM* UI f tribe> Nq ]ants «Vf H ^ Qr m pots> sheltered, sun* 



liiwii in * *o * 



Of narcissi the following sorts are in bloo 



• & - _ — — -J A 1_ _ -l ■ _ 



f v,. nni ' of bulbous plants, Chionodoxa 



r^Sfirt no doubt the most showy of the squill tribe. No plants position in light soil or in pots. 

 U saraensis arc iiu grown as these two species of 



tocreasj every small bulb of them 



chionodoxa, ^ ^ with bulbs left behind and seedlings 



■n? 1 ^ these plants are everywhere to be found, 



W ft °^ « turned over ever so deep, they will 



and Z fo me To acclamatise chionodoxas and have them 



StariyfoS I sh«M recommend the following method of culture 

 ??nt W early as possible in the open ground, not shallow but 



tbou twel e t eighteen inches deep. Such bulbs will not be the earliest, 

 1 Ae Sth« hand, will neither suffer from frost, which sometimes 

 spoils the early-flowering ones, nor from exceptionally dry weather, and 

 sTd e off prematurely ; and there is the advantage that when the leaves 

 have disappeared, which is usually in May, some mother -plant ^can be placed 

 on the top of them, without interfering with the bulbs. There are, at 

 present, about five species of chionodoxa known : C. Lucilur with sky- 

 blue, star-shaped flowers with light centre; C sardensis with smaller 

 deep blue flowers ; C. gigantea (C. grandiflora) with large violet blue 

 flowers being easily distinguished from C. Luciliae by its broader leaves, 

 few but large flowers, and broader segments ; C. Alleni is synonymous 

 with C. grandiflora ; C. Timoloussi, a small-flowering later form of U 

 Luciliae, and hardly worth cultivating; and C. cretica, a small-flowered 

 species with pale lilac or lilac-purple flowers, remarkably free ; there is 

 also a fine white form of this. C. nana is a dwarf violet or purple 

 flowered species, but is not so easily grown as the more showy C. Lucihap, 

 C. sardensis, andC. grandiflora. Of C. Lucille, C. sardensis, and C. 

 grandiflora there are now pure white forms in cultivation, lacking, however, 



the vigour of the types. t . 



Scilla bifolia, although by no means as showy as the chionodoxa, is a 

 remarkably handsome plant when well grown ; bulbs should, however, 

 not be left out of the ground for many days, and deep planting as in 

 chionodoxa should be adopted. The flowers of the ordinary Scilla bifolia 

 are small, star-shaped, and purple blue, the pedicels being usually purple 

 or brownish ; S. bifolia grandiflora has larger and deep coloured flowers ; 

 S. bifolia taurica is closely allied to S. bifolia grandiflora, but has a 

 denser raceme, and the stamens are brownish purple ; Scilla bifolia Whit- 

 talli differs from the ordinary S. bifolia in the more numerous flowers 

 longer pedicels, as well as lighter blue colour. S. bifolia has a very wide 

 distribution, and this explains its great variation. S. bifolia alba with 



early as N. Horsfieldi, and forces even more readily. Being of vigorom 

 constitution, much more so than most of the new trumpet narcissi and 

 being very prolific, it is bound to become very popular, especially as a cut 



Beds of this narcissus at Tottenham^ look very promising, and 

 be in bloom. Crocus biflorus nubigenus and C. Sieben va& 



flower, 

 will soon 



versicolor, two of the prett 

 the handsome C. Balansae. 



G. Reuthe. 



Anthurium Culture. 



pretty, creamy white flowers ; S. bifolia rosea with delicate rosy or flesh 

 coloured flowers ; and S. bifolia rubra an exceedingly rare plant with 

 deep rosy flowers are all good. Of the latter, Mr. T. S. Ware had a few 

 years ago a stock consisting of about two dozen bulbs, but being attacked 

 by the narcissus fly, imported from Holland with Dutch polyanthus nar- 

 cissus that were planted near them, they all died excepting one small bulb, 

 and having been dug in deep, this plant has not been moved, and shows 

 no signs of increase. I only know this rare and beautiful plant to be in 

 two other collections in England, and I greatly doubt it being known at 

 all on the Continent out of the Baden-Baden collection. 



Colchicum libanoticum is really one of the most handsome of its genus; 

 it belongs to the many-flowered small-growing kinds, and is closely allied 

 to C. montanum, C. bulbocodioides, and C. Steveni, as well as the bul- 

 bocodiums ; the numerous flowers are delicate rose, flesh-coloured or 

 white. This is a very vigorous growing kind, and perfectly hardy in this 

 country. Sisyrinchium grandiflorum and its white flowering form are the 

 only two which can claim to be really handsome. The grassy-like leaves 

 and scapes are glabrous, about nine inches to a foot high, the flowers 

 being campanulate, of a delicate purple or white ; they are easily grown 

 in a sheltered, partially shaded spot in not too heavy soil. Next to 

 Anemone blanda, which has been here in flowers since the first week in 

 January, and is still in bloom, A. ranunculoides is the earliest ; the 

 flowers are pale yellow. This species is best grown under trees. Tulipa 

 violacea, of recent introduction, and one of most distinct and sweetest of 

 tulips, is a small-growing species, the leaves being narrow and short ; 

 flowers are of a beautiful rosy carmine or rosy violet, rather small, 

 reminding one somewhat of the equally handsome T. pulchella. This is 

 the earliest of tulips, and is flowering now in Mr. Ware's collection planted 

 without protection, and though the sharp frosts of last week have 

 destroyed many flowers, this seems none the worse, Eranthis cilicicus 

 differs from the well-known winter aconite (E. hyemalis) b} flowering 

 quite four weeks later. In growth it is taller, the leaves ano involucre 

 being more divided, while the flowers are of a deeper yellow. It is a very 

 pretty plant, and far more showy than the ordinary winter aconite. 

 Adonis amurensis, the earliest of adonis, and quite as easily grown as 

 A. vernalis, has leaves finely cut, and large, much-branched stems, twelve 

 to eighteen inches in height ; the flowers are large and yellow. This was 

 well figured in the Gardeners' Magazine of March 20, 1897, p. 169. 



The primulas are quite numerous. Primula Allioni from the Maritime 

 Alps, is of slow growth, but its bright rosy lilac flowers are very pretty, 

 and the.plant is fine for the rockery planted in fissures or between stones. 

 P . Clusiana has large, carmine, deep purple or violet flowers ; being so 

 easily grown, and such a handsome plant, it should be in every garden. 

 P. calycina and P. Wulfeniana run closely into P. Clusiana, and flower 

 also later. In sunny places the handsome Primula minima has already 

 commenced flowering, while in its native habitat, one usually does not 

 meet it in bloom before June. It is of very dwarf growth, seldom growing 

 above half to one inch high ; its flowers are, however, large, sometimes as 

 large as a two-shilling piece and rose coloured It is very easily grown, 



The anthuriums are invaluable for the decoration of our stoves, many 

 of them being worthy of a place for the beauty of their foliage, apart 

 from the spathes. In establishments where ample room is at the 

 command of the cultivator, those species remarkable for their richlv 

 marked foliage should be cultivated, as, without exception, they are strong 

 growers, requiring abundance of head room as well as a large recep. 

 tacle for the roots, such as very large pots or pans, or even in the case 

 of exceptionally large specimens a shallow tub should be used. The roots 

 of all these species run along either on or just below the surface of the 

 soil in which they are potted, therefore a deep receptacle would be quite 

 unnecessary, in fact detrimental to the well-being of the plant. The most 

 beautiful foliaged anthuriums are A. crystallinum, A. Warocquianum, A. 

 Veitchi, and A. magnificum ; the spathes of the latter variety, though of 

 no great beauty, are deliciously scented. A. Scherzerianum, and its 

 many forms are indispensable in a collection, A. S. Wardi being one of 

 the best, and A. S. Williamsi, with its pure white spathes forming a fine 

 contrast to it. Other excellent kinds are A. Andreanum, A. Rothschildi- 

 anum, A. fevrierense, A. ornatum, A. Lindenianum, A. flonbundun . A. 

 Rothschildeanum, and these require very careful treatment, not ha « 

 so strong a constitution as A. Scherzerianum. 



Early in the month of March is the best time for repotting the 

 members of this genus, as they commence making their new growth 

 about that time. The receptacles must be quite clean, and be tilled to 

 within four inches of the top with clean potsherds, placing over these a 

 few pieces of charcoal, and after that a good layer of the roughest ot tne 

 compost The latter should consist of equal parts fibrous peat and loam, 

 with a liberal addition of broken charcoal and silver sand, the twoforajr 

 to be used in a rough lumpy state. Having the soil and pot ready, jr 

 the old plant and ball of soil and carefully remove with a pointed sticii 

 portion of the exhausted compost, separating and spreading out tne raw 

 on the new soil, placing some compost over them, and slightly mounoj 

 it up to the neck or collar of the plant. During the g rowin f f se n a ' 0 Vr 

 temperature should range from 65 to 75 degrees, with a rise 0 [ ten ocj 

 by sunheat ; the atmosphere must be highly charged with moisug 

 though in the winter months when the plants are also ? t rc ^ ta " 

 lower temperature will suffice, and less atmospheric moisture. . . 

 time, however, must an anthurium be allowed to become Jy"d « 

 When the specimens have become established in the new sou 

 showing signs of active growth they require copious supplies- 

 rain water for preference, which should be at the same e "^ u]dbc 

 as the atmosphere in which the plants are growing, bynng J»K . ^ 

 performed twice a day, and water should be thrown on tne v ■ 

 stages at frequent intervals throughout the day. All tjose noi h 

 a fresh shift should be top-dressed with fresh soil atter me 

 compost on the surface has been removed. . ^ ^ 



The propagation of anthuriums may be readily effecte ^ ^ 

 offsets taken from the old plants, or from seed, ine lau dsaD d, 

 sown as soon as ripe in pans filled with finely sittea ~ ~r ^ 

 placing a sheet of glass over the soil ; when the sewi'^'hi a Kg* 

 appearance put them singly in small thumb pots ana , p«£ ^ 



position in a warm moist house, afterwards growing them as 



. . >ficent contrast aff ^bj^ 



rich green leaves and bright scarlet spathes ot A. _ a«ic ^ ^ t0 be 



the specimen plants. 



dee? 



1 tm 



appreciated. The spathes also 



state either on the plant or when ciu *mu f T t heir 



decoration, where they are invariably appreciated Dotn 



and interesting appearance. 



Stoneleigh. 



_frcsh 



•hou* 

 bea'Jtf 



H. T. MAIM* 



Relationship of Calycanthaceae and R° sa ^«- ding 



been studying the embryology of the Calycanthacese, and, ace : * 

 dei Lincei," he has discovered in their ovules certain characters 



to the " g 



ants 



