THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
57 
DIANTHUS ALLWOODII. 
Ti EW varieties of plants arc quite ci.imnioii in the 
horticultural world, l)ut an entirely new race of 
plants is an incident of note. The newly introduced 
race known as Dianthus Allwoodii is an acquisition, 
since it can be grown by anyone in an ordinary gar- 
den. It simply excels on rock gardens, dry walls or 
in window-boxes. 
D. allwoodii originatetl from numerous crosses 
carried out with different species of the Dianthus fam- 
ily, and was eventually obtained after six years of ex- 
tensive research with many thousands of seedlings. 
The habit of growth of the ])lant is similar to that 
of the common garden Pink, exce]5t that the growth 
is much stronger and more rapid. With this great 
■charm the plants commence to flower in May, and 
continue tn ])roduce an endless su])ply of bloom until 
late autumn. The}- have the delightfid ))erfume of 
the garden Pink, but a stronger and slightly longer 
Dianthus Allzcoodii, New Hybrid I'ink of Great Promise. 
stem, with sound calyx ; while the range of color even 
now is wonderful, but the future will undoubtedly un- 
fold almost every known shade. Many of the vari- 
eties have the beautiful eye or lacing of the old show ■ 
Pinks which were so popular a decade ago. 
The flowers of D. allwoodii are double, semi-double 
and single. Some varieties produce blooms measur- 
ing three inches and grow two feet high ; others, quite 
small blooms and grow only a few inches high. There 
are fringed flowers and those with smooth-edged 
petals. Couple all this with the perfume, variety of 
colors and combination of the same, and ease of cul- 
ture, and the future of D. allwoodii must be apparent 
to all. 
The raisers, Messrs. Allwood Brothers, Carnation 
specialists, of Hayward's Heath, describe their crea- 
tion as "the most reasonable plant in the world," be- 
cause all it requires is a direct light. It flourishes in 
any soil, and is readily propagated by cuttings, pip- 
ings or layers, which root easily from May to Octo- 
ber, or by division in the early autumn. If the plants 
are not propagated, they grow in large clumps, and 
continue to flower for upwards of three years if ma- 
nured and attended to. The use of the short-growing 
varieties for edging, intermixing with Roses, bulbs 
and other plants will be extensive ; while other kinds 
will be used in herbaceous borders and for special 
beds, in vases, etc. Their suitability as pot plants for 
cultivation in cold conservatories and frames for the 
production of early Spring flowers adds greatly to 
their value, many of the varieties producing pryamids 
of bloom under this system. Their glorious bluish 
green foliage in winter is not the least beautiful fea- 
ture. 
The culture of D. allwoodii is simple, and closely 
resembles that of the old garden Pink. No amount 
of rain, frost or snow can hurt them ; in fact, the foli- 
age assumes a lighter tint and appears to revel in it. 
Propagation by divisions can be done, but not so suc- 
cessfulh- as in the case of the Pink. Yet another fea- 
ture of this plant is that it may be grown in pots for 
late autumn flowering in the greenhouse or for forc- 
ing into bloom in the early spring; so there is little 
wonder that the scientific committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society gave a unanimous vote of ap- 
l)reciation to this new race of plants. — The Garden 
( English). 
SPIRAEA HENRYI. 
'T^HUUdH introduced by E. H. Wilson as long ago 
as 1900, when collecting in China for J. Veitch & 
Sons, this spiraea is now making" its presence felt in 
many gardens. Young plants make very rapid prog- 
ress after the roots get well established, by throwing 
up vigorous stems, at first erect, then arching. No 
flowers are produced by these stems the first year, and 
they are termed barren. They are characterized by the 
length they attain in one season and by the large size 
of the leaves they bear. In these respects the species 
closely resemble S. canescens from the Himalayas, and 
the two are certainly not distantly related, for the latter 
is a very variable plant. Species belonging to diverse 
orders in the Himalayas are linked up by related or 
connected forms, extending through China to Japan, 
and this would indicate a natural line of direction of 
distribution extending back to relatively ancient times, 
and no dotibt still in progress. Both these spiraeas, 
during the second season, produce short side branches 
terminating in a large, corymb or cyme of white 
flowers, and when the barren shoots of the previous 
year are long, say four feet to six feet or more, the 
effect is bold and pleasing. The leaves are much 
smaller on the flowering twigs, and this brings the 
flowers into greater prominence. On very vigorous 
shoots of the previous year the internodes are long, 
but as growth becomes more staid by a fuller occu- 
pation of the grotmd by the roots, the internodes are 
shorter and the trusses of blossom touch one another. 
The habit of the species indicates that it should be 
planted in an open position, where the arching branches 
can develop equally on all sides, and not in a crowded 
shrubbery. — Gardeners' Chronicle (English). 
