January 10, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
25 
of this kind, good blooms, in the last week of December. I 
do not find any varieties so much liked as Mrs. G. Rundle, 
Mrs. Dixon, and Mr. G. Glenny. Madame Desgranges is an 
excellent early white. Julie Lagravere is yielding a good supply 
of blooms now.—X. 
GROWING PEAS IN POTS. 
A dish of Green Peas is always most acceptable even in the 
season of their abundance outside, but more especially are they 
esteemed early in the year—that is, during April and May. A good 
dish sent to table at this season will always give pleasure and satis¬ 
faction. Although to produce them in any quantity thus early requires 
considerable space and rather more than ordinary care, some gatherings 
may be obtained by those having two or three Peach houses or 
vineries. The best way to grow them is in pots. The first batch 
should be sown at the beginning of October ; use 8-inch pots and 
provide ample drainage. The soil should consist of three parts loam 
and one part manure, with the addition of some burnt refuse. The 
quantity of this will depend upon the nature of the loam. If heavy use 
it liberally ; if light not much will be required. Press the soil into 
the pots rather firmly, about three parts filling them, then sow twelve 
peas in each pot, distributing them evenly over the surface ; cover 
them with soil, which should not be pressed down until after the 
peas are up, when with the addition of a little more soil the surface 
should be made firm. We find the plants are less liable to damp off 
when the surface is firm. 
When the seeds are sown place the pots in a cool airy position, 
a shelf along the front of the early Peach house will suit them well ; 
here the Peas will germinate and grow 2 or 3 inches before the time 
comes for starting the house. In this position they may remain, and 
be allowed to come on with the Peaches, and if carefully attended to 
a gathering may be had from them about the end of April or begin¬ 
ning of May. Another batch should be sown at the beginning of 
December and placed in a light position in a Peach house or vinery 
that is just being started. Several successional batches should be 
sown at intervals of a few weeks, according to the space at command. 
We sow fifty pots at a time, and generally obtain several good 
gatherings from each batch. Great care should be exercised in the 
watering. It is better to err on the side of giving too little than too 
much, as if the soil becomes very wet damping-off and mildew is 
sure to be the result. On the other hand, if kept too dry the blossoms 
will turn jellow and fall off before expanding, but if the pots have 
been properly drained either of these evils will be easily guarded 
against. The young plants should be supported by some twiggy 
sticks before they begin to fall about, or four sticks may be inserted 
round the sides of the pots, and some pieces of matting strained 
round them. As the plants grow allow room enough for the air to 
circulate freely amongst them at all times. More especially is this 
desirable when they are in flower, as it will materially assist the 
setting. As soon as the pods commence swelling assist them with a 
little guano water or Clay’s fertiliser, but do not use either strong. 
Many tender forced plants are spoiled by the use of stimulants, 
because they are used too strong. A handful of guano to a four- 
gallon can of water is sufficient, and a teaspoonful of Clay's fertiliser to 
an 8-inch pot sprinkled over the surface of the soil twice a week 
will soon have a beneficial effect. 
Mildew is often very troublesome, and should be attended to imme¬ 
diately it makes its appearance by dusting the affected parts with 
flowers of sulphur. This can be done without smothering the plants 
with it, as is sometimes seen, giving them an unsightly appearance. 
If carefully applied to the upper and under sides of the foliage where 
the mildew has shown it will soon have the desired effect. 
Varieties.—We used to grow McLean’s Little Gem, but American 
Wonder sent out by Messrs. Sutton & Sons will quite supersede it, as 
it is much dwarfer and earlier, it is also a good setter, the pods in¬ 
variably being well filled, and the quality excellent.—A. 13arker, 
Hindlip Gardens. 
SCOLIOPUS BIGELOVII. 
The plant shown in fig. 4 is a member of a very remarkable new 
genus. It was found by Dr. Bigelow at Tamul Pass, Marin County, 
not far from San Francisco, and is, I believe, confined to that locality. 
It was first put at the end of Melantbacese, but in Hooker’s “ Genera 
Plantarum ” has been placed between Clintonia and Medeola in Liliacese. 
Although it is now some years since it was first introduced it is as yet 
very rare in this country. 
It flowers early in April and May, the number of blooms being in¬ 
variably eight in different stages of development. The flowers are 
beautifully crisped, not unlike Nerine crispa, and vary from a dull 
greenish to a bright showy purple, regularly interspersed with dark 
spots, often merging into blotche?. The outer segments are about an 
inch long, nearly half as broad, and widely spreading. The inner ones 
are about the same length, very narrow and erect, but variable. The 
leaves are from 6 to 8 inches long and half as broad. They are very 
suggestive of Veratrums, and only differ from them in having the 
veins on the under surface narrowly winged, both sides being sprinkled 
with minute purple dots, making them very attractive. 
The plant is perfectly hardy in our climate, and only requires to be 
known to be generally cultivated. It should be planted in a peaty soil 
in a partial shady position, with much the same treatment as that given 
to Trilliums. A colom - ed plate appeared in the “ Gartenflora ” for 1875, 
which, however, was from a plant in a pot, and does not do it anything 
like justice. It is well grown by Mr. T. S. Ware of Tottenham, and the 
above figure was drawn from a plant that flowered in his nursery last 
year.—M. S. 
SPECIAL SOCIETIES. 
My only object in writing the note (page 549, last vol.) to which Mr. 
Douglas took exception last week was to expiess, what is the opinion of 
myself amongst numbers of other growers, that the results effected by these 
special societies are by no means equal to the expenditure incurred. A few 
who have made a speciality of such plants would have continued to grow 
them with equal ardour had no such societies been called into existence, 
and these reap nearly all the advantages—that is, they are almost assured 
of gaining a certain number of prizes every time they exhibit, because 
they know the exact strength of what few competitors appear. The 
only conclusion that can be drawn is what I have previously stated— 
namely, that the prizetaking is practically a monopoly. I have fre¬ 
quently seen and admired the flowers exhibited by Mr. Douglas at 
the Auricula and Carnation shows, and no one, I am sure, would begrudge 
him the honours he has won, and several other deservedly noted growers 
could be named with him. But that is not enough. A society with the 
title of National should be of national utility, and I fear that such is not 
the case with either of the three societies named. Perhaps, however, 
Mr. Douglas can bring forward conclusive evidence that the Pelargonium, 
Auricula, and Carnation Societies have during the period of their existence 
really increased the number of growers and admirers of those plants to 
