January 1, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
15 
It is perfectly hardy and essentially a rock plant, inhabiting in a wild 
state limestone fissures in peaty loam. Under cultivation it succeeds 
admirably in about equal parts of loam and peat, and notwithstanding its 
fondness for limestone in its wild state, it does not seem to sutler by its 
absence, since it grows well without it. Still there are so great a 
variety of ways by which lime in some form or other may be given it, 
that there is no reason why it should not have it— e.g., it may be supplied 
in the shape of old mortar rubbish, a very useful thing where alpines are 
abundant, and in fact valuable. Whether planted out on the rockery or 
grown in pots or pans it should be kept fairly moist, and must always be 
firmly planted. It comes from New Zealand and is of recent introduction. 
Lychnis Lagasc.e —A lovely little profuse-flowering alpine, known 
also by the generic synonym of Petrocoptis, but seeing that the first name 
is the more easily remembered, we will give it preference here. No 
rockery need be without this, for it seeds as free as Saponaria ocymoides, 
and grows with remarkable freedom when favourably situate. Unlike the 
Saponaria, it prefers the lower portion of the rock, a position somewhat 
moist, though quite free and exposed. We have no other alpine Lychnis 
that can compare with this, and which is so well suited for associating 
with even the choicest and smallest of alpines. It is of dwarf spreading 
habit, slightly brittle or stiff-jointed, the leaves assuming a glaucous tint, 
and is peculiarly adapted for planting here and there on the rock in small 
patches, for nothing is more lovely than its bright rose-coloured flowers, 
which are produced during the summer and early autumn. It is of easy 
culture and succeeds well in any ordinary sandy loam, flowering at times 
with a freedom which has not unfrequently caused its death, and unless 
the seed is required it is best to clip over the plants annually af er flowering. 
When well grown its r ose-coloured flowers should be three-quarters of an 
inch across, and to see a few patches studded with them renders it a most 
useful and telling rock plant. It may be also increased by cuttings. 
Seeds, however, are simplest and produce the best results ; besides which 
there is always the possibility of obtaining improved forms in raising 
plants from seeds, though one cannot hope for much improvement in 
regard to this charming Lychnis, indeed it is hardly desirable. To the 
late Mr. R. 0. Niven we owe its introduction, by whom it was brought 
some years ago from the North-Western Pyrenees. It is most impatient 
of being lifted and transplanted, old plants especially so, and seedlings are 
best potted singly when fit to handle, and from these transferred to 
their permanent quarters as required.—J. H. E. 
SPIRAEAS PALMATA AND JAPONICA. 
These are amongst the best winter and spring flowering plants. Their 
culture is most simple throughout the summer, and their blooming is 
always certain. The pink S. palmata does not force so readily as the white 
S. japonica very early in the season, but both should be grown, and if 
not introduced to heat at the same time S. palmata will be found to be a 
charming plant about the month of March. The white-flowered species 
is better known, and it cannot be grown in too many instances, as its pure 
graceful heads of bloom are of the utmost value in all kinds of cut flower 
arrangements. With a dozen or two of sprays of this and a few heads 
of scarlet Pelargoniums we would never be afraid of failing to have our 
dinner table elegantly decorated in the dullest winter or spring days. 
With well-ripened roots and crowns to deal with the early flowers may be 
open by the end of January, and then a succession may follow. 
We do not start our plants under ashes or any covering as is sometimes 
done, but they are introduced to the forcing quarters from the open air or 
the frames. The strongest are taken in first and remain for a week or ten 
days in a structure heated to about 55°, and as soon as they commence 
appearing they are placed in more heat, or a temperature of from 65° to 
70°. There they push on rapidly, and as the leaves and flower buds 
appear abundance of water is given at the roots, but no syringing is done. 
They are kept near the glass, and care is taken that they do not receive a 
check when in this condition, as a sudden chill or draught of cold wind, 
or shifting out of a warm place to a cool one, will cause the flower stems 
to wither. This is more likely to happen with S. palmata than S. japonica. 
When the flowers have opened they do not suffer so readily, and.may be 
placed in any greenhouse or conservatory, where they will remain fresh 
for several weeks. We have tried to have them in bloom at Christmas, 
but have never succeeded to our satisfaction. We, however, begin forcing 
them now, and find no difficulty in blooming them in February and 
onwards. Very good crowns of foreign growth may be had from seedsmen, 
but everybody may soon get a stock of their own, and when well grown 
those cultivated and matured at home will force as readily and bloom 
more freely than any which can be bought.—M. J. 
EXHIBITION ROSES AND TRIMMING. 
When the Leek Rose Society published the opinions of various Rose 
exhibitors as to the case of gumming Roses detected at their exhibition, 
a friend of mine wrote me on some other subject, and his P.S. ran thus :— 
“Mrs.-is very fond of gumming her Roses, and does not quite 
agree with you about the practice.” By all means, and as much as any 
lady pleases for her own pleasure. It were indeed pardonable, especially 
with those who have not many Roses, to adopt any manoeuvres which 
might prolong their glories and render their decorative life a shade 
longer. But in this case the cement is to increase or prolong the glory of 
the flower for home adornment, not to add to the glory of an exhibitor 
and win for him under false pretences a coveted medal or cup. The two 
cases are widely different. Where nothing is to be gained but the in¬ 
creased pleasure of individuals in admiring for a longer season (he 
beauties of a flower, any artifices are legitimate. Nay, I will go further. 
Wherever a stand was exhibited (l not for competition,” I would allow the 
exhibitor any vagaries that suited his taste, although I see, even in this, 
conditions that might favour the pocket of the exhibitor ; these, however, 
are conditions comparatively trivial. The great point that I think holds 
against all unfair tampering with flowers in the exhibition tent for prizes 
is, that the straightforward and honest exhibitor is placed at a great dis¬ 
advantage and most heavily and unfairly handicapped. The young and 
honest exhibitor is doubly so, because in all probability he has had no 
opportunity of yet learning how to display his blooms to the best advan¬ 
tage. In this respect I have a very lively recollection of my own first 
attempt at a dozen trusses and the beautiful strewing of petals that were 
visible at the end of the journey 1 The way of setting up successfully, 
the proper time for cutting and stage of bloom at which that cutting 
should take place, are certain to baffle in some degree the youthful 
a=p : rant for rosy honours. How can he fare if as well he has to defeat 
the trickeries of exhibition as well ? 
Thanks to the conformation of the queen of flowers, the petals 
cannot be moved about as those of some of the Composite flowers are, and 
only very rarely perhaps, would slight shifting or pulling improve a 
bloom. It seems to me that “ dressing ” can only be of use where a 
flower will preserve the position in which it is placed for some days, as in 
the Dahlia, Picotee, Aster, and Chrysanthemums. The Rose, on the con¬ 
trary, is often growing whilst under the eye of the judges, and therefore 
ordinary “ dressing ” will not, I fancy, apply to it. All the better for Rose 
exhibitors, say I. 
Thus far ere last week’s Journal reached me, and with it the rules 
passed at the meeting of the National Rose Society. Rule 8, if strictly 
enforced, ought to be sufficiently powerful and clear to meet any case of 
tailoring, whether this be in the form of stitching the petals together 
and thus preventing eye-opening, or “ gumming,” which was undoubtedly 
in the Leek case intended to act in the same way. 
Borrowing is, of course, impossible for a judge to detect ; almost 
indeed for anyone. Hence, those who practise it—and I have been in the 
way of knowing several cases—become dreadfully hardened. I once knew 
a case where at a spring show a Rose exhibitor, who had not an inch of 
glass, showed a stand of Roses, and was awarded first prize ; then some¬ 
one remarked, “ Where on earth does he grow them ? He has no glass, 
and there is not a Rose in bloom out of doors.” Further comments were 
made, and at last the Committee took the matter up, and intimated to the 
exhibitor that they were ready to give him the prize money if he would 
call at their office and formally swear that he had grown all the blooms. 
The prize was never claimed. Such a case, however, only proves how 
persons may be led on to act.—Y. B. A. Z. 
BORONIA RUTOSMA. 
This Boronia is sometimes seen under the name of B. spathulata, but 
differs from the species so named by Lindley, being more branched in 
habit and more numerous flowers. It forms a dense bush, and when 
covered with its [bright pink flowers it has a very pretty appearance. 
Like other members of the genus it succeeds w r ell in a greenhouse, 
requiring but little care except in providing good drainage, as stagnant 
moisture about the roots is very injurious. A compost of peat and light 
turfy loam with sand is suitable,’the growth being so strong and compact 
