JULY 2, 



1898. 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



421 



FOR 



of either annual, 



all of which 



( . „. T^P-nots. or Myosotis, form a genus 

 M • WnSSS Plants, consisting of about fifty spec.es ai. 

 enD1 lr t v P hardy in this country, and, with few exceptions, be.n 



6 perf nH Lsny managed, are well worth growing, while owing 

 l0wy and easi y ma g , ^ ^ ^ ^ &ny fl 



Upt efther as plants or cut flowers. Some of the rarer alpine species, 

 intity, eiiuci <« 



r\yCX r\\\i 1 



l ri'nflpss easy culture, are, owing to their f 



are, owing to their great beauty, never 



The annual and 



. . 5in J i-inds are increased by seeds, which are either sown as soon as 

 blC T he open on their respective beds, or in boxes or frames, and the 

 ^1 Ls Dlanted out when the plants are sufficiently strong to bear re- 

 ^ g T t perennial kinds are increased by cuttings and seeds, and 

 Ld varieties the increase by cuttings is the more preferable 



guuu va* 0 ^-fo n arc/** and free-flower- 



01 



eAcS^sMdiVtf one wishesTo keep "a certain large and free-flower 

 0 form these being not always improved by seeding. 

 Mvosotis alpestris, with its hairy, dark green oblong-lanceolate leaves, 

 ws about six to nine inches high. It has sky blue flowers, with a tiny 

 'lowish eye, and these are usually disposed in terminal cymes, 

 iwerinz occurs during the spring and early summer, and some varieties 

 ' 6 - - ' ' - It is a very variable species, 



ave deep blue and others white flowers m 

 oir the mountains of Europe and Asia. M. rupico a is often given as 

 »nonym with M. alpestris, but it is certainly very distinct, differing in 

 s dwarf habit, the plant being scarcely three inches high, and of very 

 ow and compact growth ; its flowers are large and sky-blue. It is a 

 itiveof Scotland, but very local, and is best treated as a rock plant 

 ily. It flowers freely during the spring and early summer, and is a 

 rict perennial. 



M. lithospermifolia approaches M. rupicola, but is of slightly taller 

 th, and its leaves are longer and larger ; it makes a beautiful rock 



A native of the alps of 



ow 



leaves, and stems 



Its flowers 



and border plant, flowering in May and June. 

 Switzerland. ML palustris has spathulate, deep green 

 latare usually creeping, and but seldom over a foot high, 

 arc bright blue, in long cymes, and produced through the spring and 

 summer. Although a common British plant, being found in ditches and 

 near rivers or lakes, it is well worth cultivating. A handful of flowers 

 cut and placed in bowls in sand and water will keep fresh for weeks. 

 The form M. p. semperflorens has been produced by cultivation, and 

 there is also a very fine Continental garden form called grandiflora ; 

 this is a beautiful plant, the flowers being very large, and the stems at- 

 taining a height of one and half to two feet. It is certainly the best for 

 cutting purposes. M. sylvatica, closely allied to M. palustris, has oblong- 

 lanceolate leaves, and flowers in long racemes ; the latter are deep blue, 

 with yellow throat. Flowering occurs in the early spring, and the species 

 is much used for bedding out and pot culture. There are several forms, 

 and all are best treated as biennials. 



M. azorica is a very erect-growing species, with stout stems half to 

 one foot high, and large flowers disposed in close racemes ; deep indigo 

 1 ~ It flowefs during the summer. The leaves are 



. evvhat oblong 



or spathulate, hairy, and deep green. A native of the Azores. Excepting 

 ■ the southern or western part of England, this species is not always 

 hardy, and is best kept in pots and frames during the winter, and planted 

 out in the spring. The form Imperatrice Elisabeth is less tall and 

 compact, with graceful branching habit and deep blue flowers. This is 

 summer flowering. M. dissitiflora has almost erect stems about a foot 

 wgh ; flowers sky blue. It is a very showy and useful perennial, well 

 adapted for bedding and pot culture. M. dissitiflora grandiflora is a 

 Jjwaen form with large flowers. This very popular market plant does 

 ** do well near large towns. M. dissitiflora elegantissima is a compact 

 jawing form with white margined leaves. M. Rehsteineri (M. c^espititia) 



thU a K Cree P in £ stem > and forms a dense carpet. For damp positions 

 is i charming plant cannot be surpassed by any other. In a private 



* in Low er Austria I saw it used with great effect to cover 

 *nlc in i a half shady position. ,¥T1 '■ ' 



• - 



ember having seen anything more lovely. 



a damp 



When it was in full i>loom I could not 



M. caspitosa is biennial, and a very local plant in the meadows of 

 »er Austria and Switzerland. ™- ^ - 



nn S the summer. 

 °dy root ; 



Seated and 



This 



High Alpine of 

 is a lovely, much-coveted 



The bright blue flowers are produced 

 M. nana (Eritrichium nanum) has a deep-growing 

 leaves lanceolate-oblong, with short silky hairs, usually 

 ernes hri„kl f? rmin S a rosette. Flowers produced in terminal 

 AW - \ 1 b - lue ' P^duced during the summer, 

 nth ♦ ^ UStna and Switzerland. 



'Alps I U n^ rtUnateIy ' difficult to mana S e - In m y e 'arly rambles on 

 >*inz as !S Ca J" e aCr0SS , largR S rou P s of U > and seein S these plants 

 *ers,'l used lt«t 1?' kalf-anrlBch high, with their beautiful 



ary to the in„ considerable trouble to remove them without much 



:i i them th g? W °° y root ' but even then 1 rarel y had the Pleasure of 

 ln try, such «S n m & arden - In a pure atmosphere and hilly 



8ht succeed lu, d ' 1 havc n ° d ° Ubt > with a 1UtIe care » this P lant 

 K and his L neV , er aS u, a tOWn P lant - M ' Traversi is of creeping 



^ishshme - fln late *,? bl0ng leaVCS ' hair y and scabrous, with a 

 Nearlv on ' S yellow > P roduced freely in summer. 



1 M. palust my ° SOt - S Prefer a fairlv moist 



position in n 



me o a n- i , . ' position in a good loamy 



nis and allied kinds do best in bogs and shallow water. 



G. Reuthe. 



Almeria Fruits 



J*!*n medio,, . 



these 



J^^^?,^?*^ of .g ra P2S for market, Almeria 



as bananas, custard apples, 



**• * «S'ofr 12 897 theshi P' 



cases 



are at present only grown in sufficient quantity for 



more attention is not 



Man 



article 



produced 



appeared for the first 



Vegetables for Exhibition. 



Spinach* 



Few green vegetables are more easy to obtain or more in request during 

 the whole year than spinach [Spinacia oleracea), and in many establish- 

 ments it is expected almost daily. The great secret in keeping up a 

 constant supply is frequent sowings, and, except in November and 

 December, it may be sown every month in the year. Any rich, well- 

 tilled ground will produce good spinach. The first sowing should be made 

 on a south border early in January, or as soon as the weather will allow, 

 and small quantities of seed should be sown every fortnight till the end 

 of October, in rows about fourteen inches apart. Spinach is frequently 

 spoilt by overcrowding, as it soon becomes drawn and weak, and during 

 the summer months quickly bolts to flower, so that, to produce the best 

 results, it should be thinned to four inches apart. After the first two or 

 three sowings on a warm border, single rows between the peas and 

 runner beans is a capital place to produce it, as during the hot, sunny 

 weather the shade from these crops is just what is required. This is my 

 usual practice, and I can recommend its adoption. It is more difficult to 

 produce good spinach during July and August than any other time in 

 the year, and during June, and up to the middle of July, the seed is best 

 sown on a north border, or some cool, shady part of the garden. The 

 next two sowings should be made on an east border. For the winter 

 supply a good breadth should be sown about the middle of Adjust, and 

 again at the end of the same month. Another may be made about the 

 second week in September in an open position of the garden, after which 

 three more small sowings should be made on a south border, making the 

 last the end of October. The weather has so much influence on the 

 growth of spinach that I have never 



sowings. During the winter of 1897—98 our last sowing, made quite 

 at the end of October, proved to be our best plantation during April 

 and May. Very little attention is required after the crop has been 

 thinned, except to run the Dutch hoe between the rows occasionally. 



For exhibition purposes spinach is of little value and should only be 

 included in a collection of vegetables of a stated number, as a last 

 resource, but in a miscellaneous arrangement it might very well appear. 

 The leaves should be large, of a good substance and dark green in colour, 

 and should be arranged standing the ends of the stalks in a shallow 

 vessel of water, as it so quickly flags, and this takes off that fresh 

 appearance so essential in spinach. There are now several distinct 

 varieties, many of these being a distinct improvement on the older. I 

 have never seen any advantage in growing the prickly, or so-called winter 

 spinach, as the round seeded kinds are equally hardy and of better 

 quality. One of the best kinds that has lately come under my notice, 

 is The Carter, a fine variety, distinct and of excellent quality. V ictona 

 Round is also very fine, remaining for a much longer period than the 

 older varieties before running to seed, and Sutton's Longstanding Round 



is also first-rate. 



New Zealand Spinach. 



New Zealand spinach {Tetragonia expansa) is quite distinct from 

 the ordinary kind of spinach, both in growth and flavour and during 

 the summer months it often proves of much value. The plant enjoys a 

 light porous soil and a sunny position, and requires abundance of water 

 in dry weather. It is distinctly a summer vegetable and is of no 

 use after the first frost. It may either be raised in heat under glass 

 and planted out, or sown in the open the last week in April It is a 

 fast growing plant and should be sown in rows three feet apart, thinning 

 the seedlings to two feet six inches. When well grown it is an attractive 

 looking vegetable in the kitchen garden During July, August and 

 September, it should be included in a mixed collection of vegetables on 



the exhibition table. 



Perpetual Spinach. 



I can never understand why the Perpetual or Spinach Deet 

 {Beta cicla) is called spinach at all, as it is d.st.nctly a beet, , except 

 that of course the leaves are cooked the same way as spinach. In 

 rnv nninion it forms but a poor substitute and is scarcely worthy 

 7cXva°tion bTit require^ little trouble to produce t Two or 



SS3 andT L h s°tt ^WS^ rSnc^of^en 



^VS^Tii- to g nine ■-^ h ^M? r ^ 



picked quite young. 



Aldtnham House Gardens, Elstree. 



m 

 clean 



Edwin Beckett. 



_ , . m . c^^i^v —On mv return from a recent lecture at the Swanley 



Qlox.n.as at Swan ey. Onmy re e ^ ^ f 



Horticultural College, I £ QW at the Drin H a u. But no amount of 



whom «^^™£%^J£Zi of this veteran and enterprising llorist, 

 inapprecia ion cools the e n n ^^^ t U i n a Dro(lucet be a i ways to the front. Few men 

 who will, if not in oemm produce ^ than he has . Q f 



have done ^J^^^Si^S^ 'how to visitors, but to refer to one 

 course, he has myriads ot K auu din „ b^ty that even an old stager 



only, a house full of ^^f^^I^S. Here were numerous varieties 

 such as \^^^i^^lS^^ effects obtained from these 



u- r g£ , b S ? lr, t such Se The variety that ot all others most took my 

 brilliant flowers m f^^vender-blue. a very striking and lovely colour that 

 attention w ; Petunia . Majesty is still the finest white, and Beauty, 



• T Mni criSS s the richest dirk, and wonderfully effective. Very fine 



"SfElSS. S Pdnce of Wales, flowers large, and of rich red colour. Amaryllis 

 and beautiful « s Prince ot > a , s > ^ ^ ^ & ^ grQund 



has a a white throat and clea ny ft s . $ g ^ { 



M rs Avery jnj . baMg" f g ^ M ^ is deep nc h 



P1 1 I ll S£ f whkVmSgin ; Maud has deep red spots on a pink ground ; and 

 Mte tSS P ^ ^ veTy fine flower, has red spots" on a^white ground. Of course 

 there are vast numbers of seedlings all very fine, but any varieties propagated 

 ^JEnTSni uo with exceeding brilliance and remarkable effect.-A. D. 



