April 23, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
835 
buds having two kinds of leaves ; the lower hanging down appeared to have 
the use of balancing the plant so as to keep it erect. 
Impatiens Episcopi. —Mr. Lynch exhibited some fine plants of this new 
species grown at the Botanical Gardens, Cambridge, from the Usagara 
Mountains of Central Africa, 4000 feet elevation. He had succeeded in 
raising a hybrid between it and I. Sultani, but it bore no pollen ; but from 
the evidence of the fruit apparently set and swelling it will prove fertile 
with both parents. 
Magnolia Campbelli. —Mr. W. Crawford of Lakelands, near Cork, sent 
blossoms gathered from a tree 35 feet high. It flowered for the first time 
three years ago, and has forty flowers this year. 
Wistaria sinensis, pods of. —Mr. Noble sent a fruiting peduncle bearing 
three pods near the end, but which had failed to ripen any seed ; they were 
from a seedling plant brought by Mr. Fortune from China, and is the only 
one which bears pods, but never ripens any seed. Mr. Noble remarks that 
the old plants derived from cuttings do not appear capable of forming pods. 
The Rev. G. Henslow remarked on this circumstance that the formation of 
pods without seeds was probably due to the inefficient action of the pollen. 
As Max Wichura has shown in the case of hybrids, “ The ovaries may swell 
and ripen but not contain a trace of seed.”— Jl. ffort. Soc., vol. 1, n.s., p. 63. 
Mr. Meehan in a paper in Linn. Jl., vol. xvii., p. 90, stated the fact the seed¬ 
ling standard Wistarias as a rule only have pods with ripe seeds at Phila¬ 
delphia, the trained plants rarely fruiting unless they sent up a shoot free 
into the air and unsupported, just as Ivy flowers and fruits, only under the 
same conditions. In the first expanding ordinary flowers of Wistaria he 
finds the pollen to be imperfectly-formed, or none. He would explain the 
difference as a result of nutrition. In the case of the self-supported 
standards (which make only short shoots every year) and the self-supported 
shoot of the trained plant, the vegetative energies were spent in a short 
t>me in overcoming gravity ; whereas in the long, trailing, artificially sup¬ 
ported branches it expended itself more slowly in making annual shoot3 
sometimes 30 feet or more in one season. When the vegetative energy is 
drawing to a close the reproductive comes into play, and then only to a 
very limited extent, as seen in the terminal flower buds of the panicle 
being generally only capable of making fruit pods. Mr. Meehan observed 
the same rule with the American species, W. frutescens, as well as in Catalpa 
syringaefolia. Subjoined is his account of the plants as grown by him. 
“I have seventy-nine plants of Wistaria sinensis, standing about 3 feet 
from each other in one straight row. These plants were themselves 
seedlings, and therefore not subject to objections which might be made if 
they had been all raised by layers from one original plant. They were 
trained to stakes a few feet high until the stems were strong enough alone 
to sustain their heads. In this condition they are called standard or tree 
Wistarias, just as Roses budded on stems a few feet high are known as 
standard or tree Roses. These make no attempt at vigorous growth when 
compelled to sustain themselves, but they flower profusely every year, and 
always produce more or less seed. The interesting fact in connection with 
this seeding is that only the flowers towards the termination of the raceme 
are fertile, and the fact may be thus formulated—as the growth force in the 
rachis weakens the probability of fruit is increased. 
“ In order to present this fact clearly I have had thirty old flower stalks 
counted, and find they bore on an average sixty-five flowers to a raceme. I 
have had 250 stems bearing one seed-vessel examined, and the number of 
flowers which fell before the seed-vessel was produced counted. The 
average of these is forty-eight, showing that in this number of cases more 
than two-thirds of the whole number of flowers on a raceme fall before one 
seed-vessel is produced. Of the seventy-nine plants a great number of the 
racemes produce no seed, and of those which do one pod is mostly all. But 
forty-four racemes produced two seed-vessels. These seed-vessels were 
some distance apart on each rachis ; but the average distance has been 
taken, and then the average of the whole forty-four, and this shows that 
with this more favoured condition of nutrition only the forty-fifth flower 
bore seed. Seven out of the whole number on the seventy-nine trees bore 
three seed-vessels. In like manner these have been averaged, and the result 
gives 43-50 as the number of the flower successful in its seed-bearing object. 
There can be no question about the correctness of the position that it 
requires more nutrition to perfect three capsules than one. We might 
reasonably look for their appearance in what we should regard as the most 
vigorous portion of the raceme and the point best able to bear them, but we 
see that the average position of the three on the rachis is les3 in proportion 
o their numerical order than the two, and the two to that of the single 
seed-ve3sel, and that in all of the three classes the earliest two-thirds of 
e flowers fall, leaving the weakest portion of the rachis to bear the seed. 
“ All this has relation to nutrition. As regards pollenisation, some re¬ 
markable experiences were obtained. In my observations I have been 
aided by several members of the microscopical section of the Academy of 
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. In none of the early flowers of the 
raceme could we find a trace of pollen, though the anther cells seemed 
perfect; but after about the half of the flowers had fallen some succeeding 
were found with a small quantity of pollen, and it would be of course from 
Buch as these that the seed vessels came. 
“ So far it might appear that the whole question resolved itself into one 
of pollenisation. But alongside of these seventy-nine tree Wistarias is 
one very strong one of the snow white variety. This had hundreds of 
racemes thereon, and every flower examined had a profusion of perfect 
pollen. But there is not a single seed vessel on this plant. The branches 
of a tree of the common blue form freely interlace, and have the same but 
no greater degree of fertility as the trees elsewhere. The barrenness of the 
white would be remarkable, in view of the general rule that albinos have 
ess vigour than their more dusky parents; and this vegetative vigour 
ought to weigh in favour of fertility in this case. But the white Wistaria 
is an exception. It is more vigorous than the blue variety. Ten of the 
flower stems taken at random show an average length of 9 inches, while ten 
of the blue show but 6 inches. Ten racemes also give sixty-seven as the 
average number of flowers, while sixty-five is the average of the blue. 
“ From these facts I think there can be no doubt— 
“First, That the Wistaria, when it grows vigorously, though it may pro¬ 
duce an abundance of flowers, is unfertile. 
“ Secondly, That it is more fertile in proportion to the weakness of its 
vegetative force, even though that force should be inadequate to a large 
supplv of pollen. 
“ Thirdly, That mere temperature can have little influence on these con¬ 
ditions, as when the branches of two varieties interlace, under the same 
conditions as regards temperature, one is barren. 
“Fourthly, That the lack of pollen in itself can have little to do with 
fertility, as the flowers of the pollen-bearing white, as freely visited by bees 
as the blue variety is, gave no greater fertility to the interlacing branches of 
the blue than to the trees many yards away.” 
NOTES ON THE STEPHANOTIS. 
As I know you are always ready to record facts, I should Tike to call 
attention to a house of Stephanotis in the nursery of Mr. Wallis, East 
Grinstead. The house is a lean-to 50 feet by 11 feet, and the plants are 
now a complete mass of flowers. In April last year it was almost as full 
as now, trusses of blooms forming complete wreaths from one end to the 
other. The specimens are four in number, and have been planted four 
years in sound loam and peat on a well-drained bottom. They started 
well, and have continued growing strongly with very short-jointed wood, 
and a truss of blooms at every joint. I questioned if this was a different 
variety, but Mr. Wallis said it was raised from an old plant. The plants 
are very clean, petroleum being employed as an insecticide, applying it 
with a painter’s brush where and when needed. The nursery is only a 
few minutes’ walk from the railway station.—S. Jenks. 
NATIONAL AURICULA SOCIETY (SOUTHERN SECTION). 
APRIL 21st. 
The annual meeting of Auricula growers and admirers at South Kensing¬ 
ton took place last Tuesday, the conservatory presenting a bright display 
owing to the combined attractions of the Auriculas and the exhibits before 
the Floral Committee. Larger shows of Auriculas have been seen at 
Kensington, but the absence of several well-known exhibitors was chiefly 
due to the unfavourable weather which had been experienced to within 
the past few days. Mr. Horner stated that he had seen some collections at 
Sheffield where the flowers would not be fully opened for a week or more, 
and in all exposed positions Auriculas were very backward in the north. 
All the classes were, however, filled, general satisfaction being expressed at 
the quality of the exhibits, and though coarse and weakly examples were 
noticeable in several collections there were numbers of unusually meri¬ 
torious specimens to compensate for that defect. 
SHOW AURICULAS. 
The leading class in the section devoted to Show varieties was that for 
twelve dissimilar Auriculas, and in this four good collections were staged, 
the principal two being very close, and required careful judging, though 
the decision was unquestionably right. The Rev. F. D. Horner, Lowfields, 
Burton-in-Lonsdale, was accorded premier honours for excellent plants, 
strong, with good foliage, fine trusses, handsome flowers, and very even. 
The chief of the varieties was Greyhound, one of the exhibitor’s seedlings, 
with very beautiful smooth bold flowers, the truss supported upon a stout 
stalk, and bearing tenpip3. This was selected as the premier Auricula, but for 
the rule prohibiting the award of certificates to varieties staged in the general 
collections it would have received that honour also. The other varieties 
were Mrs. Horner, Greenfinch, Heroine with twelve pips, Lynette, Thetis, 
Monarch, Sapphire, and Nigella, all by the same raiser, together with 
Simonite’s Rev. F. D. Horner, Mellor’s Reliance, and Headly’s George Light- 
body. Mr. J. Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., followed with 
highly creditable plants of Douglas’s Duke of Albany, a rich maroon self, 
which has been awarded two certificates, the truss bearing fourteen pips ; 
Horner’s Sapphire, a deep purple self with twelve pips; Douglas’s Mrs. 
Moore, a beautiful grey-edged variety, recently certificated at Kensington, 
with six pips; and Douglas’s Silvia, another pleasing grey-edged variety. 
The third and fourth prizes were awarded to Mr. E. Pohlman, Halifax, and 
Mr. C. Turner, Slough, the four named being the only exhibitors. 
With six plants the Rev. F. D. Horner was again in the leading position, 
showing Heroine with nine pips, Albatros, Monarch, and Florence, of his 
own raising; Headly’s George Lightbody, and Simonite’s F. D. Horner. 
Mr. J. Douglas took the second place, especially remarkable amongst his 
plants being Duke of Albany, No. 34 Seedling, a crimson self; Headly’s 
George Lightbody, with eight pips; and Trail’s Prince of Greens in surpris¬ 
ingly fine condition, with a truss of sixteen pips. Mr. E. Pohlman was a 
good third, having good examples of Horner’s Sapphire and Read’s Acme; 
the fourth, fifth, and sixth prizes being awarded to Mr. R. Dean, Ealing ; Mr. 
C. Turner ; and Mr. H. A. Rolt, 170, Hartfield Road, New Wimbledon. The 
best four plants were contributed by Mr. W. Bolton, Wilderpool Road, 
Wimbledon, which comprised an extremely good specimen of Trail’s Prince 
of Greens, with eleven pips ; Bolton’s Mrs. Wilson, a purple self; Simonite’s 
Frank Simonite, and Lancashire’s Lancashire Hero. Mr. T. E. Henwood, 
Hamilton Road, Reading, was placed second, his finest plant being Mellor’s 
Gipsy, with twenty-two pips, an enormous truss, and Trail’s Beauty, very 
handsome. The third prize was gained by Mr. W. Brockbank, Brockhurst, 
Didsbury, whose best examples were Mellor’s Negro, Leigh’s Colonel Taylor, 
and Read’s Acme, all fine. Mr. C. Phillips, Auricula Villa, Reading ; and 
the Rev. E. F. Fellowes, Wimpole Rectory, Royston, winning the remaining 
prizes. The competition was fairly close with a pair of plants, dissimilar 
varieties, six exhibitors entering. Mr. T. Henwood was first with Mellor’s 
Mrs. Heap and Read’s Acme, very good. Mr. C. Orchard, gardener to J. 
Galsworthy, Esq., Coombe Warren, second with Headly’s George Lightbody 
and C. J. Perry. Third Rev. E. F. Fellowes with Pizarro andCharles Brown. 
Fourth Mr. W. Bolton, with a purple self seedling and Walker’s John 
Simonite ; Messrs. Brockbank and Phillips being fifth and sixth respectively. 
Single Specimens .—In the four classes devoted to these about seventy 
plants were staged, the following being the awards :— Green-edged.— Rev. 
F. D. Horner, first with Monarch and second with Conquest, both of his own 
raising ; Mr. C. Turner, third with Turner’s Justus Corderoy ; Mr. E. Pohlman, 
