306 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 17, 1884, 
so when associated with its white variety A. apennina alba, the 
plants when established being smothered with tiowers. 
The Megaseas (Saxifrages) are just showing their spikes of 
bright rose dowers from the large cordate leathery leaves, the 
best of these being M. cordifolia purpurea, rich purple flowers 
on stems a foot or more high, but it dowers a little later than 
the species, and so does M. Stracheyi with its spreading panicles 
of white flowers, contrasting finely with the purple of M. cordi¬ 
folia purpurea. 
Narcissus with me are yet confined to Pseudo-Narcissus, 
Pseudo-Narcissus plenus, Telamonius plenus, nanus, cernuus, 
obvallaris, lobularis, and minimus. N. incomparabilis Stella was 
the first in flower, closely followed by N. incomparabilis with 
its large primrose flowers and sulphur crown; the Butter-and- 
Eggs (N. incomparabilis aurantius plenus) is also in flower, and 
so are N. incomparabilis plenus and N. incomparabilis sulphureus 
plenus (Codlins-and-Cream). The double fox-ms of N. incom¬ 
parabilis are amongst the best of the Nai-cissus for cutting. 
The finest yet out is N. bicolor Horsfieldi. 
Hepaticas have not been good. They evidently need more 
moisture than we have had this wintei-, yet the double blue has 
dowered and still is dowering vei-y freely; the white has flowered 
well. Hepaticas appai-ently need a stift'er and moister soil than 
ours, which is light ovei’lying gx-avel. 
Spring Snowflake (Leucoium vei-num) flowered early in 
Max-ch, and wex-e vei-y poor indeed, and wei-e soon over. The 
finest display we have had so far have been and ai-e Hyacinths 
in beds of imported bxxlbs; yet those in the borders left undis¬ 
turbed have bloomed well, forming useful and effective clumps. 
Tulips also are just coming in. Herbaceous borders in the early 
part of the year are vei-y dull; indeed, without bulbous plants 
ax-e shoi-n of half their attractions and usefulness. 
Wallflowex-s which have been in flower for a long time ai-e 
now at tbeir best. The dark crimson and new dwarf 
yellow are the most useful. The doubles fi-om seed ai-e 
weedy—a long way behind the good old double yellow and 
double purple. For some unaccountable l-eason our plants of 
Cheiranthus alpinus and 0. Max-shallx have collapsed. 
Myosotis dissitifloi-a gi-ows into a great clump, and is very 
effective ; its comparatively insignificant flowei-s tell only or best 
when they lose their individuality in the mass. On account of 
its innumerable flowers it is a far moi-e effective plant than 
Omphalodes verna, the flowers of wh ch, though lai-ger and 
bright blue, are not freely produced. 
.Coi-ydalis bulbosa and C. bulbosa purpurea have elegant 
foliage, and ai-e pretty in the shrubbery border along with 
Winter Aconite, Snowdi-op, Scillas, Daffodils, Pi-imroses, and 
Yiolets; but such flowers tell best when seen in a semi-wild 
state growing in pi-ofusion with Anemones. 
In the matter of foliage there is yet nothing very striking. 
Valeriana Pliu aux-ea, with bright golden foliage, is conspicuous, 
and xinquestionably the best of all yellow-leaved plants for spring 
bedding. The marbled and vei-y handsome foliage Cyclamen 
hederaefolium is certainly effective, much moi-e handsome than 
many plants grown for their foliage, and might be employed 
with advantage as an edging to beds of bulbs. Variegated 
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale variegatum) with one-half the 
leaf—the centre—beautifully green with broad yellow margins, 
is not surpassed for effectiveness during the spring and eax-ly 
summer months by any other vai-iegated plant in existence. 
Then for silvery foliage, lax-ge, bold, and stately, we have 
Centaui*ea babylomca; and for graceful foliage and feathery 
highly divided aspect and majestic px-oportions during the spring 
and early summer months we have in Ferula communis one of 
the grandest of foliage plants, the three last being vei-y 
beautiful in front of shrubberies where they can have libei-al 
treatment.—G. A. 
SCHIZOSTYL1S COCCINEA. 
Mb. William Hannah, gardener at Oakholme, has lately read a 
short paper upon the Schizostylis coccinea at the last meeting of the 
Sheffield and Hallamshire Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association, 
which paper I now enclose. Mr. Hannah grows this plant better than I 
have ever seen it grown elsewhere. I have frequently seen as many as 
thirty spikes of bloom on one of his plants in a 10-inch pot.—W. K. 
Woodcock. 
“ The Schizostylis is a plant which I have long appreciated, and I think 
it must become an established favourite in our collection, I do not know 
anything more striking than well-grown examples, nor anything more 
simple than the method of cultivating them successfully. The Schizostylis 
is a native of Kaifraria, and belongs to the order of Iridaceas or Iris 
family, and was first introduced in this country in 1864. In 1866 I 
purchased three small plants, which I have successfully cultivated ever 
since. It is of a very easy culture, on which account perhaps it is often 
neglected, and the result is that the beauty of the plant is not half 
developed. I will now describe the method which I have adopted in 
cultivating it successfully. First I procure some good rich loam that has 
been taken off a rich old pasture, with good cow manure that has been 
well decomposed, some leaf mould, and well-washed sand. The plants 
should be rested in a cold pit or greenhouse until the end of March where 
there is sufficient heat to protect them from frost, but do not let them get 
too dry or they will probably be injured. About the first week in April 
is the best time to repot them. If the plants are strong and well grown 
turn them out of the pots, and divide it with some sharp instrument,, 
which is much better than shaking them out. Place them in the same 
sized pots (probably 8 or 10-inch) again, and i-eturn them to the same 
atmosphere for three or four weeks. About the first or second week in 
May if the weather permits remove them to the open air, and plunge 
them in clean ashes in a sheltered situation. 
“The compost should consist of two parts loam, one part cow manure, 
one part leaf mould, and a small quantity of clean washed sand. Let 
this be well mixed and remain in a heap for a few days before it is used. 
Clean pots are essential ; I always make it a point to have all pots washed 
before using them. Let these pots be well drained, some good fibrous 
loam is best to place upon the crocks, and have the soil made firm about 
the roots. A potting stick is used to press the soil with, and a good 
watering is given to settle the soil well about the roots. After that, or 
when the plants have begun growing, give them a little weak liquid 
manure twice a week. 
“ In the first week in September remove them into a cold frame, and 
let them remain until about the first or second week in October, then 
remove them into a greenhouse or vinery where they are protected from 
frost. For the conservatories and greenhouses the Schizostylis is a great 
acquisition when arranged with the Chrysanthemums and Primulas, and 
they give a good effect during the dull days of autumn.” 
MANAGEMENT OF IVY ON WALLS. 
Although this subject was brought before the'readers of the Journal of 
Horticulture some months ago, the only apology I have to make in alluding 
to it again is to point out that now is the time for planting and attending- 
to established plants growing on the walls of dwelling-houses and other 
buildings. I have frequently heard opinions expressed that Ivy is a bad 
covering for walls, and that it causes dampness ; out I can say from long 
experience that if I had a damp wall to deal with I should not hesitate to 
plant Ivy as a corrective, and to walls of a perishable nature, such as soft 
red bricks or sandstone, or any unsightly wall, it is a decided improvement 
to cover them with Ivy. For some years I have had much Ivy to manage, 
which enables me to speak with some authority. If not kept in bounds it- 
will soon prove destructive to the roofs of buildings. It must not he 
allowed to go farther than the space it is intended to cover, nor allowed 
to enter the roofs of any buildings, no matter what the materials may be. 
The way we manage our Ivy is to clip it close in annually in March. 
Before the young growth begins it is of great importance that it should be 
cut 3 or 4 inches below the roof or eaves, and the only care that is required 
during the remaining part of the year is to look occasionally round the- 
tops of the walls to see that no young shoots are stealing a march on 
forbidden ground. After the Ivy is clipped we brush it well down with a 
half-worn besom to remove dust and any dead leaves. I may add that 
many of our cottages are of a rustic character, thatched with reeds and 
other materials, in which sparrows build; but here they are in a great, 
measure defeated, as we use sparrow-proof wire netting on the ridges, 
gables, and eaves, and owing to the Ivy being so closely cut we seldom 
find a sparrow’s nest in it. Neither is it a harbour for vermin, as some 
people imagine, when it is kept in the way described. 
There are many varieties of Ivy grown, but for general purposes we do- 
not find any better than the Irish Ivy. Newly planted Ivy for covering 
walls, palings, or wirework will require a little assistance in training until 
the allotted space is covered. Most nurserymen supply Ivy specially 
grown in pots, which can be removed and planted without any risk of 
failure at almost any time of the year. If the weather should be dry or 
hot at the time of planting occasional waterings will be necessary until the 
plants are established.—A. O. W. 
GRAFTED ABUTILONS. 
During the spring of 1883 we had a number of seedling- 
Abixtilons of the Boule de Neige type i-aised the year previous; 
and finding they wei-e not all of sufficient merit to pay for the 
time or trouble of potting, besides taking up valuable space 
inside, they were, as usually is the case, doomed for the rubbish 
heap. Upon second thoughts we decided to gi-aft some other 
variety mox-e useful on these clean, healthy, straight stems ; and 
accordingly set to work taking off the tops of these seedlings, 
leaving the stocks fi-om a foot to 18 inches high. They were 
then placed in a gentle heat, sufficient to encourage the flow o£ 
sap, to insui-e its rising well. The bark was then separated all 
around the top of the scion, and three or four healthy terminal 
shoots of Abutilon vexillarium about 3 inches in length were 
inserted and firmly bound in with raffia, care being taken to 
place the top side of the gi-aft to the inside, so that at the 
commencement of growth they would di-oop in their natui-al 
manner. After this operation they were placed in a propagatva 
