October 29* l8 9 8 



GA RDENERS" MA GA ZINE. 



701 



sense analysed before us ; any one part may be produced separately 

 T E any other. An elucidation of how any one of these is imitated and 

 Htermined should lead to a knowledge of the influences which act also 

 in the normal sequence, and determine ; the'origin* of parts in the plant 



b0C *f hVve^attempted to touch upon some of those questions in the 

 Morphology of Plants which specially interest us at present, ana I dare 

 av in doing so have revealed to you some of the special weaknesses of 

 this branch of the science. The want of finality in this unravelling of 

 history without documents, the ample latitude for difference of opinion, 

 according to the relative weight attached by one or another to the same 

 facts; these are difficulties inherent in the very nature of our study, 

 while' to many minds they increase rather than diminish its attractions. 

 Nevertheless the progress of morphology" inflate decades! has plainly 

 been towards a truer appreciation of how divers forms] have originated, 

 and so towards a better recognition of affinities. Seeing that this is 

 clearly the main trend, we may take heart as to the advancement of 

 morphological knowledge. We shall not allow ourselves to be deterred 

 by reason of the want of finality or the deficiency of evidence, however 

 strongly we may feel the weight of these difficulties. We shall rather try 

 to make the best of such evidence as we possess, with the full confidence 

 that however insoluble the problem of descent may really be, inquiry 

 along scientific lines will at least lead us nearer to t e goal. 



Cannas. 



DURING the last few years cannas have come wonderfully to the front, and 

 are now indispensable in most establishments for the beautifying of beds or 

 borders. They are strikingly pretty even as single specimens, but it is when 

 they are grouped in fairly large masses that they produce the most telling 

 effect. The groups, too, are most effective when confined to one variety f 

 or varieties very much alike in colour of flowers and foliage. Perhaps 

 the most suitable places for cannas are the margins of shrubberies, fairly 

 large beds, and mixed borders. In such positions the clumps can be well 

 separated. In filling very large beds clumps of ten or twelve dotted over 

 it, and the intervening spaces filled with Bartonia aurea, or something of 

 this kind, are very effective. For smaller beds cannas might occupy the 

 centre, and be surrounded with Coreopsis Drummondi, edged with some 

 dwarfer plants. These isolated beds look well both at a distance and 

 near at hand, but cannas are most conspicuous when employed to give 

 a little colour to the margins of shrubberies. Here the varieties with 

 pale green leaves and bright flowers give a pleasing tint to the whole, 

 and liven up the rather sombre hues of rhododendrons, yews, &c. Cannas 

 are well worth growing for theii foliage alone during the summer months, 

 as a variety of tints, from pale green to dark purple, can be obtained. 



For indoor decoration the cannas are also exceptionally valuable, 

 either as pot plants or cut flowers. As pot plants nothing can be better 

 for grouping round the base of palms or forming banks of foliage and 

 flowers for filling recesses or corners. Although the taste for cannas has 

 led to a great increase in the number of varieties in recent years, yet in 

 gardens rather remote from large establishments the old and inferior 

 kinds are still to be found. In order to bring themselves abreast of the 

 times gardeners should once a year, at least, visit some place or places 

 where the cream of recent introductions can be seen. The lesson thus 

 learned will well repay the time and money spent. For choice, perhaps, 

 some large up-to-date nursery establishment would be best, as greater 

 variety is more likely to be grown to meet varied tastes than at any 

 private one, be it ever so large. In the larger private gardens the best 

 kinds of certain decided colours only are likely to be met with, as the 

 special tastes of the owners have to be gratified. In verification of this 

 I might remark that recently in the gardens of his Grace the Duke of 

 Westminster at Eaton Hall I saw Konigin Charlotte extensively grown. 

 It is a very strong-growing variety, with broad green leaves, and rich 

 velvety blood-red and yellow flowers, which are produced freely. The 

 individual blooms are unusually large and of good substance, and the 

 plants are apparently of a hardy constitution, for they were growing 

 luxuriantly at Eaton. Besides this variety there were several others 

 admirably grown under glass at Eaton by Mr. Barnes, his Grace's head 

 gardener. 



At Dickson's huge nursery establishment at Chester two large pieces 

 of ground were filled with cannas of all colours during this season, and 

 here the most fastidious could be satisfied. For general purposes I 

 noted a few of the most distinct, those with dark-coloured flowers and 

 foliage and those having exceptionally huge flowers and green leaves. 

 Among the dark foliaged and flowered section Colonel Dodds stood out 

 conspicuously ; it is also a tall-growing, robust form. J. Bichon has 

 orange and red flowers of unusual size, even amongst the large-flowered 

 section. Doyen J. Sisley is a salmon-scarlet, just a little paler in colour 

 than J. Bichon ; Madame Crozy, a brilliant scarlet, edged yellow 5 and 

 Progression, golden yellow, spotted chestnut-red. These six varieties 

 are the best I have seen ; in fact, I might say the cream. Of course, 

 opinions might differ, but so far as a strong constitution, free flowering 



SOUV. DE LA MALMAISON CARNATIONS. 



During the past few years large flowering carnations have attained to 

 an exceptional degree of popularity, and are now grown with more or 

 less success in most gardens. Some measure of this increasing popu- 

 larity is doubtless due to the excellent new varieties which have been 

 raised by Mr. Martin Smith at The Warren House, Hayes. This gentle- 

 man has, by careful cross fertilization, produced a large number of distinct 

 improvements in carnations of several types, and especially amongst the 

 large flowered or Malmaison section success has attended his efforts. 

 Besides the delightful fragrance and the charming colours introduced by 

 these new ones, the very essential quality of a sound and vigorous 

 constitution is characteristic of them all. Their cultivation is thereby 

 much more easily managed, and under reasonable conditions the plants 

 yield most satisfactory results. 



;* Many people have found by experience that the cultivation of the old 

 lovely pink and blush varieties is by no means an unmixed pleasure j 

 chiefly owing to their susceptibility to disease, and, unless under the best 

 of management, their weakly and uncertain constitution. Neither of 

 these two old sorts, however, are altogether superseded, and they should 

 not be given up. The fascination of their lovely flowers, and probably, 

 too, the gratification obtained in mastering any intricacies of culture, is 

 continually increasing the number of those who determine to have a 

 house wholly or in part devoted to carnations. 



The accompanying illustration will give some idea of the beauty of a 

 number of plants in full bloom, though it cannot convey the pleasing 

 associations of colour or the delicate perfume which combine with the 

 capital lasting properties of the blossoms to ensure their appreciation by 

 all lovers of flowers. The plants in the foreground of the picture are 

 from layers rooted the previous autumn, and are carrying but one 

 flower each. Those in the centre and at the back are one year older, and 

 give from a dozen to fifty blooms, according to the number of growths 

 and the amount of disbudding practised. The group is mainly composed 

 of the two original Souvenir de la Malmaison forms, but includes the 

 ten new ones sent out previous to 1898. This autumn twelve more are 

 being distributed, making a total of twenty-two direc tly emanating from 

 Hayes. They have an excellent reputation, and from the appearance of 

 the young plants are all good growers, a fact which will commend them 

 to beginners. 



As the details of cultivation may be helpful to some who have not 

 nitherto been so successful as they could wish, I have been asked to give 

 an outline of our own treatment, and a brief description of the several 

 new varieties which have already flowered here may also be acceptable. 

 The largest flowered form is Sir Charles Freemantle ; its blooms are 

 enormous, and though it does, like most of the others, burst its calyx, 

 there are such a number of petals that the flower does not become loose 

 or unshapely. The colour is good, a deep rosy pink. Lady Grim- 

 ston is very sweet; the colour is a flaked mixture of white and rose, whilst 

 the habit of the plant is exceptionally good. Princess May is the earliest 

 to bloom; the flowers are of medium size, bright rose in colour, and pro- 

 duced on good long stalks. Nell Gwynne is white, and though yet only 

 flowered on small plants, it promises to be first rate. Lord Rosebery is 

 excellent ; it is described in the lists as dark rose, but nearly approaches 

 crimson in colour. The Churchwarden is a fine crimson ; its habit 

 is dwarf, and it produces many growths. Prime Minister, bright 

 scarlet, is a splendid plant ; the flowers are large and nicely scented. 

 Trumpeter is rather tall in growth, and comparatively short in the leaf ; 

 the flowers are very good, sweet scented, and dark crimson in colour. 

 Sir Evelyn Wood and Mrs. Everard Hambro are perhaps the least 

 desirable of the set, though they may be included in a collection. Their 

 flowers are borne on rather short stalks, though the growth of both is 

 vigorous. The former is a striped flower, pink on a white ground, and 

 the last-named is crimson, but with us soon loses its brightness. Per- 

 haps none of those named have quite the rich and powerful fragrance of 

 the two well-known old varieties, hence these should be largely included 



in all gardens. . . ... . . , 



The chief points to bear in mind in cultivating the plants are that 



they must always have abundant ventilation, a cool, comparatively dry, 

 buoyant atmosphere being most essential at all times, but especially 

 must this be provided during winter. The soil should be a free, open 

 mixture mainly composed of the best turfy loam obtainable. In potting, 

 provide ample drainage, and press the soil quite firm and even throughout. 

 Then the watering— a frequent cause of failure, even where it might be 

 least expected. No plants are more sensitive of too much moisture, and 

 during the dull months of the year it is surprising how little they require. 

 It should not be given unless the ball of soil is parting from the sides of 

 the not and a sharp ring is discernible when the pot is rapped. The 

 ritrht condition is not difficult to ascertain after a little experience; but, 

 of course, it is possible that the plants may suffer for lack of water, 

 though in a cool house in winter time this is not likely to occur. Whilst 

 the Plants are in full growth and during the flowering season, they 

 riaturallv take much water, and the risk of giving too much is not so 



Yhe frequency of supply then will be governed by the condition 



r-« w„ a uugju curter, but so tar as a strong constitution, iree nowcnug ereat . ine irequcm-j ^ — r-r-< — V IiT 0 • r u ~ U ~ 



Proclivities, and decided colour are concerned they would be hard to * f the r00ts , whether the soil in which they grow is fully occupied or 

 beat. t T?TnnrT t V ' j ~„*«;a+ influences of weather. 



J. RlDDELL. 



fai f °7 e New p Otatos.— Challenge, one of Mr. Finlay's productions, bids 



. *° become a nnnnlar mmJ 4U« ll o rrr^af rrnnnpr. Avr^ll^nt in rmalitv. and 



10 become a popular round, for it is a great cropper, excellent in quality, 

 bv M ^ ndsome - Devonian, an old-fashioned shaped kidney, sent me for trial 

 y sax. O. Thomas, is « ra ratal pmnnpr *lcn and of sunerh nualitv. I regard this 



variet Thomas > is a capital cropper also and of superb quality, 

 nr^ J- as a great acquisition to our best eating potatos. Iva is ver] 



very much like the 



, . „ , _ „ iginally from the Canaries I rather 



X en " ff m . a y b e the same as is the variety we can purchase in the shops from 



also £ m the Spring ' Jt ' to °' is of fi rst " class q ualit Y- Pride of Tonbridge has 

 kidne r x emarkab ly good with me, giving a capital crop of handsome white 



the J?' a y own trial this season has been a fair one, but drought terribly baked 

 *°u.— A. D. 



not, and outside influences of weather. 



The season for propagation is during July and August, and increase 

 i. made by layering. Usually the two-year-old plants complete 

 tL rvcle as it were, and after flowering in June are immediately used 

 for nroDaeation. This is best done by plunging the old plants in a bed of 

 inil under an ordinary garden frame, because here the layers may be 

 h A d from bright sun, and also sheltered from heavy rains. As soon 

 afthevare well rooted, and have been severed from the parent plant 



L 7 ♦ navs thev are potted into sandy sou in three and a-half inch 

 about ter i aay^ ^ ^ under thft fram ^ vemilated slightly for the 



pots. lD J, s unt ji established, and shaded. After this the lights are 

 ^"y used as a protection from rain, and through the heat of the day are 



