March 37, 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 211 
- We have received from Messrs. Fetter & Galpin Part 25 of 
“ Familiar Garden Flowers,” and Part 7 of “ Paxton’s 
Flower Garden,” continuations of those works. The former 
contains coloured plates of Plumbago capensis and Geum pratense, 
both fairly well executed and accompanied by interesting de¬ 
scriptions. The part of “ Paxton’s Flower Garden ” under notice 
has a coloured plate of hardy Azaleas, representing the varieties 
Judith, Meteor, and Sylvio, the form of the flowers being well 
delineated, and also one showing two varieties of Cattleya labiata, 
good in form but rather deficient in colouring. In the “ Gleanings 
and Original Memoranda ” we observe that a suggestion we made 
sometime ago has been acted upon—namely, the removal of capital 
letters from specific names, except where warranted by the accepted 
rules of nomenclature. This is a decided improvement, but there 
is still another needed. The authorities are given for the names 
of all the plants described in the old edition, whereas they are 
omitted from those added to the present one, which appears a 
singular inconsistency. 
- For the purpose of Saving Seed of Primulas the plan 
is usually adopted—and it is a safe one—of having late-sown 
and late-flowering plants for this object. We recently saw at Mr. 
Cannell’s establishment at Swanley a house 100 feet long filled 
with Primulas, the seed of which is nearly ready for harvesting. 
How far the hot-water pipes affixed to the roof have contributed 
to this result by drying the pollen of the flowers we know not, 
but certainly a finer set of seed has never come under our notice. 
Some later plants are still flowering, which are remarkable for their 
vigour, and the size, purity, and richness of the flowers. Another 
structure is filled with Cinerarias, some of the flowers exceeding 
2 inches in diameter. There is also a fine collection of double 
varieties, the flowers of which are just commencing to expand. 
A house 210 feet long and 15 wide for the purpose of growing 
winter-flowering Carnations, and two other large structures for 
Show and Fancy Pelargoniums, are being erected. Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums were as brilliant as they usually are any time between 
January and December. The new white variety that was certifi¬ 
cated under the name of Eureka was in splendid condition, its 
large white globular trusses borne on stalks a foot long. 
- We regret to learn that Mr. James Alexander, senr., 
died at Redbraes, Edinburgh, on the 12th inst. The deceased 
gentleman was the senior partner in the firm of Messrs. Dickson 
and Co., Waterloo Place, Edinburgh. 
- We have been informed of the following gardening 
appointments —Mr. W. Yeomans, late gardener to Mr. Smythe, 
Basing Park Gardens, Alton, has been appointed gardener to 
Robert Schwartz, Esq., Crow’s Nest, Crowborough, Tunbridge 
Wells ; Mr. David Evans, late gardener to D. Pugh, Esq., Manor- 
avon, Carmarthen, has been appointed gardener to Mrs. Bullar, 
Basset Wood, Southampton ; Mr. Z. Welbourne, late gardener to 
C. Coombe, Esq., Cobham, Surrey, has been appointed gardener 
to James Blyth, Esq., Wood House, Stanstead, Essex. 
- The thirty-seventh annual Exhibition of the Scottish 
Pansy Society will be held in the Royal Scottish Society of 
Arts Hall, 117, George Street, Edinburgh, on Friday 17th June. 
There are seventy-four classes in the schedule, all for Pansies or 
Violas. 
-- The schedule of the Reading Horticultural Society 
announces that the Spring Show will be held on May the 12th, 
and the Autumn Show on August the 18th. The usual liberal 
prizes are offered in the numerous classes for plants, flowers, fruit, 
and vegetables, but there are a few interesting additions. For 
instance, at the first exhibition three prizes are offered for a group 
of Rhododendrons to occupy a space of 12 feet by 11 feet, and 
the same number of prizes are offered for twelve Show and twelve 
Fancy Pansies. At the other exhibition there will be classes for 
Dahlias in pots and collections of double Zinnia blooms. 
- The special lectures delivered in the course of last 
year in connection with exhibitions of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society were so largely attended, and proved altogether 
so satisfactory, that it is with much pleasure we hear that arrange¬ 
ments have been made for a similar series in the forthcoming 
season. The Tulip, the Auricula, and the Carnation appear to be 
already provided for, and we shall hope that means will be found 
for the treatment by the same process of other equally interesting 
subjects. The first of the series will be on the history and pecu¬ 
liarities of the Tulip. The lecturer will be Mr. Shirley Hibberd, 
who will discourse on the subject in the conservatory at 3 p.m. on 
Tuesday next. 
- A revised list of arrangements for the Royal Botanic 
Society’s Exhibitions has been issued, in which we observe 
the date of the second summer Show is altered from June the 
22nd to July the 6th, the evening fete being fixed for June the 
22nd instead of June the 15th. 
DOUBLE CINERARIAS. 
Although it is some years since the introduction of these 
from Germany, they have not taken so high a position as the 
single forms, which is not surprising, as they are not nearly so 
attractive; indeed the best of the flowers were for a time after 
being introduced at best crumpled semi-doubles, very indefinite in 
colour, and having a very weedy aspect. In many of the seed¬ 
lings now, though there has been a great advance, the flowers 
are very small, dull in colour, and not fully double. For decora¬ 
tive purposes the florist forms are far more telling—indeed ninety- 
nine out of a hundred of the doubles raised from seed are not 
worth growing. Still there are some really good doubles having 
flowers which for size, fulness, purity of colour, and distinctness 
are effective and enduring both on the plant and in a cut state. 
For the latter purpose these are superior to the singles, which do 
not stand long. I have grown them every year since their intro¬ 
duction, having fresh seed each year, and by selection have 
secured some with good flowers and bright colours. These will 
have to be perpetuated by suckers or offsets, but by saving seed 
of the best of the semi-doubles a number of the progeny afford 
double flowers, and by continuing in this lead it is likely we shall 
have several useful varieties. The forms I have obtained from 
thousands of seedlings are dark blue, large, very good ; light blue, 
also large and fine. One of the most beautiful is white tipped 
with pink. Rose-coloured flowers there are in various shades, as 
light, deep, and mottled, also pink and mottled pink, and other 
colours that may be termed crimson, purple, with carmine, mauve, 
and magenta. A good white I have not had, but there are whites 
variously tipped and tinted. The double Cinerarias need only 
careful selection and improvement to make them as general 
favourites as the others.—G. P. 
THE GLADIOLUS. 
All growers of this grand flower of course conform to the 
instructions contained in the cultural notes prefixed to the cata¬ 
logues issued annually. These are very brief—Trench or dig 
deeply; manure liberally ; stake duly; protect the blooms ; water 
freely in dry seasons ; and—this they do not add—await what at 
best is but a doubtful issue of your labours. 
It is now only five years since a splendid stand of some three 
dozen spikes exhibited at North Berwick by an esteemed friend— 
alas ! now no more—whose name was prominently associated with 
the Gladiolus, inspired me with the determination to add this to my 
other favourite flowers. Since then my attachment has strength¬ 
ened, my stock has been gradually increasing ; and now, after a 
season in which my losses nearly amount to all those of former 
years together, it has been reinforced by additions which consider¬ 
ably raise the aggregate and promise increased attractions. It 
does not require much obstinacy or Scotch “ dourness ” to refuse to 
accept one year’s losses as a sufficient dissuasive when set against 
four years’ gratifying success. 
It is on all hands conceded that the Gladiolus is in many respects 
a mystery. Change of ground is recommended by one, and by 
another this is considered unnecessary. Shallower or deeper plant¬ 
ing has in my experience, even with the same variety, appeared 
