432 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 28, 1885. 
and fairness of purpose, until there is little of it left to respect, 
and he must sooner or later change his methods or collapse. 
Let the young writers who may feel impelled to be smart 
and pungent remember that, for it is true ; at the same time a 
critic may be piquant without being offensive, and then his 
productions are sure to be read. 
All who oppose should respect their opponents or let them 
alone, not regarding them with other than the most friendly 
feelings—as assistants rather than enemies, engaged in a 
different way and searching over different ground for a 
common object, but each animated with a spirit of rivalry that 
renders the search lively and the more enjoyable if even a 
little exciting. Opposition then becomes both pleasant and 
instructive, hence desirable. Having had a fair share of it, 
and been somewhat hardly driven from time to time by able 
opponents whose arguments and experience command respect, 
and with the possibility of more to follow, I have been led to 
indulge in an evening’s reflections on the whole subject, to 
which I have only now to append the signature of—A 
Thinker. 
IN THE GARDEN. 
Titlipa Greigii. —This is one of the most effective flowers 
now in beauty (May 19th). 1 have sixteen bulbs bearing large 
brilliant blossoms of varying shades of scarlet. No two are pre¬ 
cisely alike; there is some variation, either in form or more 
generally in coloration, and the blotching inside the perianth, 
but all are extremely showy—gorgeous I may say, especially when 
the large egg cup-like perianths open to the spring sunshine. If 
I only grew one species of Tulipa it would certainly be this, as 
it is in my opinion most satisfactory; the merest tyro in hardy 
flower culture is at once charmed with it, and regards it as an 
acquisition to be eagerly sought. It may be weakness on my 
part, but I like it all the more because it is a true species and 
not a florist’s variety, for in this we have an instance in which 
Nature has adorned one of her own true children in the most 
gorgeous colouring without the aid of the hybridist’s pencil, 
although, please understand, my soul is broad enough to love 
the Tulips of the florist as well. I am sure I err not when I say 
every grower of hardy bulbs should do his utmost to secure a 
good clump of this beauty, as it is certainly one of the most 
distinct and brilliant of all hardy spring-flowering bulbs. I 
wish particularly to eulogise a charming association of this and 
Narcissus Tazetta Grand Monarch. I had a clump of these two 
mixed. There were four bulbs of T. Greigii and six of Grand 
Monarque, and as they both come in bloom at the same time, 
the effect can be more easily imagined than described. The 
picture lasted well, but faded too soon, although its impress is 
still fresh in my mind, and will never be forgotten. Next season 
I hope to devote a small bed to this happy companionship. 
1 have another charming Tulip under the name of T. scabri- 
scapa, which came from the collection of the late Mr. Harper 
Crewe. The perianth is of a clear lemon colour with large v ell- 
formed segments. !So pure is the lemon that it is unique in colour¬ 
ing amongst a lot, and in such striking contrast with a deep ver¬ 
milion-flowered kind under the name of T. iliensis. The perianth 
is large, the outer divisions paler in colour than the inner ones, 
and feathered with yellow outside, while the inside base of the 
inner ones is quite black, not blotched as in T. Greigii, but uni¬ 
formly black about a fourth of the way up. It is a vigorous 
grower, and forms with T. scabriscapa a very desirable contrast. 
T. Orphanidesii is also still in flower, of an orange-brown colour, 
the outer division feathered with green, while the inside is 
blotched with black. This is a very distinct, but not handsome 
species. The perianth divisions are rather sharp-pointed, or 
nearly acuminate. Other kinds, such as biflora, triphylla, 
Clusiana, &c., are faded, while a few others are still unexpanded. 
Ranunculus millefoliatus.— This is a charming little 
Buttercup. As its name implies, the leaves are freely divided, 
the segments being rather narrow, of a very rich green, and pro¬ 
duced from the fasciated roots in tufts. The flower stems of 
my plants are about 4 Inches high, but I have seen them as much 
as G inches in one or two places, each supporting bright yellow 
flowers about 1 inch to inch across, forming a very pretty 
little tuft, and amongst the Alpine Buttercups it is to be favoured, 
because several of them are not so amenable to cultivation as it 
is. . I may name one or two others, however, which are very 
satisfactory with me, and associate well with this; one is Trann- 
fellneri, a diminutive species, forming small tufts of foliage, and 
lender stems carrying white flowers about three-quarters of an 
inch across. R. anemonoides is another little gem, flowering 
very early, and not by any means fastidious. While R. amplexi- 
caulis is one of the best, growing freely under most conditions, 
but does not like being disturbed often ; in a strong tuft its pretty 
glaucous foliage and white flowers look well. 1 have these on 
a well-drained sloping border facing the west, and they appear 
to thrive happily, and I shall leave them undisturbed. 
Two Months of Narcissi. —Of course I include Daffodils, 
for generally those kinds with large trumpets, forming the 
magni-coronati section of Mr. Baker, are called Daffodils, while 
the other two series with the medium and small cups are called 
Narcissi, but the distinctions will soon be nil between them; 
the hosts of intermediates are fast bridging the gulf between 
the so-called distinct groups, that for gardening purposes one 
name must soon be generally adopted. I have no hesitation in 
calling them all Daffodils. The redoubtable N. Sir Watkin 
(alas! its namesake is taken from us), is rather more than half 
way between the incomparabilis and Ajax sections, and it is a 
puzzle to many how this magnificent variety became possessed 
of the large cup it has. Surely there must have been some blood 
from Ajax introduced to a major form of incomparabilis; and 
yet, where and when accomplished, there is no record. Those 
who know most of Sir Watkin can furnish no information upon 
this point. Mr. Pickstone has received undue honours in con¬ 
nection with it, for I have good reason to believe it was cherished 
long before that gentleman was born. It has been suggested 
that it might have been an escape from Mr. Leeds’ garden. 
Surely this is sheer presumption, for long before Leeds hybridised 
Narcissi this was grown; at least, that is my opinion, based upon 
the best available evidence. But I am digressing far from the 
text. Fancy such a season of Daffodils—beautiful brave forms 
which begin at the end of February, and even earlier where 
N. pallidas prsecox is grown, and last quite to the end of June. 
Those nowin prime with me (May 20th) are juncifolius, gracilis, 
triandrus, this is late; intermedius bifrons, poeticus recurvus, 
p. grandiflorus, a grand variety; and p. fl.-pl. just coming in, 
while several others are lingering. Since the first expanded 
what a host of beauties we have seen and admired. These are 
flowers which must be planted more largely than ever. Unfor¬ 
tunately the price of many of the choicer and most beautiful 
precludes them from becoming generally cultivated, but there 
are many varieties which may be had at reasonable figures, and 
which are among the best for general purposes. 
The following 1 regard as the best. In the large trumpet 
section—Horsfieldi, Empress, Emperor, Michael Foster, spurius 
coronatus, major, maximus, princeps, Dr. Hogg, F. W. Burbidge, 
Exquisite, Wm. Goldring, Cowani, and moschatus; the last six 
varieties are the white or “ Silver Daffodils,” of which moschatus 
may be taken as the type. They are all extremely beautiful, in 
fact I prefer them to any. In the peerless section 1 may mention 
Mary Anderson, albus stella, Barri conspicuus, Charles E. 
Backhouse, Sir Watkin, Leedsii Silver King, Queen of 
England, albus Sensation, Flora Wilson, Princess Mary of 
Cambridge, and without prejudice several others might be added; 
while the duplex forms, called Eggs and Bacon (Orange Phoenix), 
and Codlins and Cream (Sulphur Phoenix), should be included in 
all collections. In the small-cupped section the following ai - e 
good. Taking the poeticus series first, we have ornatus, gvandi- 
florus, poetarum, and the double form; in the Tazettas there 
is orientalis, Grand Soleil d’Or, gloriosa, Grand Monarque, 
Bathurst, and Lord Peel; in the Burbidgei series there is Joe, 
Model, grandiflorus, delicatus, and aurantius; in addition to the 
above in this class there are the Jonquils, and no one should 
exclude the exquisite little Queen Anne’s double variety. I am 
sorry not to mention many others, but space forbids. 
Double Primroses and Polyanthuses. —I am now. busy 
raising these, dividing and transferring to as shady a position as 
I can find for them. Unfortunately there is not much shade in 
my small area, but the best is done that can under the circum¬ 
stances to afford them the summer treatment they require— 
viz., immunity from hot sunshine, for when exposed to that red 
spider is fearfully troublesome. A shady border on the north 
side of a wall is best for them. It should be well worked, and a 
good quantity of leaf soil, thoroughly decayed manure, and sharp 
sand well worked in with the soil, and in this position they will 
remain till autumn. Some of the double Primroses, especially 
Cloth of Gold and Golden Gem, are still holding on, and con¬ 
sequently will be left until last. I did not previously believe in 
the difference between these two varieties, but as both have 
flowered well with me this season I am happy to recognise the 
difference. These double Primroses are truly a most interesting 
and handsome series of spring flowers well worthy the most liberal 
treatment. There appears to be some confusion as to what is 
double rose. I have received at least three varieties for it, one a 
