March 24, 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 233 
The flowers are of excellent form and large, but the colours are 
surprising, comprising a wide range of tints—some delicately 
soft, others rich and intense. Bright glowing pink, crimsons of 
many shades, magenta, and deep maroon, with some good purples 
and abundant intermediate tints, combine to form an array of 
colours such as could be scarcely excelled. In habit, too, some of 
the plants are very compact—a very desirable quality, with fine 
imposing heads of blooms. Several of the named varieties for 
which first-class certificates have been awarded fully maintain 
their character. At the time of our visit the most notable of 
these were Master Harold, bright crimson, and Mr. Little, the 
latter a peculiar but beautiful tricolor variety, from which Mr 
James reasonably expects to obtain a very distinct strain. He 
also has some other handsome novelties, selections from his large 
stock of plants, that will probably be exhibited ; one in particular 
we noticed with large, flat, and beautifully formed rich magenta 
flowers of great substance, which will undoubtedly receive some 
attention. 
- Relative to the career of the late Mr. Alexander of 
Redbraes, whose death we announced last week, we extract the 
following particulars from a recent issue of the Scotsman —“ The 
deceased was a native of Banffshire, but came as a young man to 
Edinburgh, where he has long been known as a highly respected 
citizen. For many years Mr. Alexander was senior partner of 
Dicksons & Co., said to be the oldest seed and nursery business 
in the city, and indeed one of the oldest of our trading firms. 
Before retiring from that connection he was, we understand, the 
oldest representative of the seed and nursery trade in Scotland. 
He was one of the few surviving founders of the Scottish Arbori- 
cultural Society, and for many years acted as Secretary and 
Treasurer. He also for some time served as Auditor of the Cale¬ 
donian Horticultural Society. Gifted with a retentive memory, 
and claiming friends in every part of Scotland, Mr. Alexander 
gathered a large store of information on Scottish matters which 
rendered his conversation peculiarly interesting. He was a 
Director of several of our local companies, but owing to failing 
health he had for some time before his death retired to a large 
extent into private life. He was, we believe, the anonymous 
donor of the fund from which ‘ the Model ward ’ in the new 
Royal Infirmary was furnished, and he has left legacies to various 
local charities.” He was seventy-six years of age at the time of 
his death, which occurred on the 12th inst., as we have already 
noted. 
- A CORRESPONDENT states that the Spring Exhibition of 
the Manchester Royal Botanical and Horticultural 
Society, which was held last week in the Town Hall, proved 
very satisfactory, an attractive display being provided. Orchids 
were particularly fine ; such exhibitors as Mr. J. Broome of Dids- 
bnry, Mr. George Hardy of Timperley, Mr. W. Leach of Fallow- 
field, and Mr. W. Sparkesof Charlwood House, Huyton, Liverpool, 
staging some handsome specimens from their well-known col¬ 
lections. Other exhibitors were Mr. S. Schloss of Bowden and 
Mr. Schneider of Cromwell Range, Fallowfield, who contributed 
attractive collections of flowering and fine-foliage plants. Of 
nurserymen the principal exhibitors were Messrs. Cutbush and 
Son of Highgate and Mr. B. S. Williams of Upper Holloway, 
both firms receiving special awards for their groups. First-class 
certificates were awarded to Mr. J. Tomkins for Primula The 
Queen, and to Mr. B. S. Williams for Primula sinensis alba 
magnifica. 
THE STRAWBERRY EVERLASTING 
(Astelma eximium). 
Since the appearance of a note upon this plant in the Journal 
a few weeks ago we have had many inquiries respecting it, and 
requesting us to give an illustration showing the general charac¬ 
ters of the plant. In compliance with the desire of these corre¬ 
spondents, and also because it may be of interest to other readers, 
we have had the accompanying woodcut (fig. 54), prepared from 
a small spray. It represents the flower heads and bracts of the 
full size, one of the lower heads being shown in a young state 
before the central flowers have faded. The attractiveness of the 
plant depends upon the rich crimson colour of the large elliptical 
bracts which form a close globular head, in some degree sugges¬ 
tive of Strawberries, and fiom that circumstance the popular 
name is derived. The leaves and stems are whitish-green in 
colour, and thickly clothed with a woolly pubescence. 
In some London florists’ windows, particularly in Covent Garden, 
Fig. 54 .—Astelma eximium. 
these dried flower heads are occasionally seen, being employed 
similarly to other so-called “ Everlasting Flowers.” We have 
not seen a plant in cultivation in this country, though it is said 
to have been introduced about the close of the last century. The 
London supply is, we are informed, obtained solely from the 
Cape of Good Hope, where it is cultivated by some of the local 
growers. 
CULTIVATION OF THE CYCLAMEN. 
The Cyclamen when well grown is one of the most useful 
greenhouse plants we have for winter and spring flowering. The 
most satisfactory way of obtaining a stock is by seed, and it is 
best to obtain this from a good firm, as you may depend on obtain¬ 
ing seed that will produce plants worth growing. Before sowing 
consider when you desire to have the plants in bloom, so that from 
twelve to fifteen months may be allowed them for growth. To 
obtain flowers in November and December sow the seed at the 
end of September or early in October ; for January and February 
sow in November or December ; for March, April, and May, sow 
in January or early in February. It is possible to have the plants 
in bloom at all seasons of the year, but they are chiefly desired 
during the autumn and winter. 
The first operation is the preparation of the seed box or pan. 
Place at the bottom a layer of potsherds ; then mix the compost, 
which should consist of three parts mellow fibrous loam and one 
part of peat, leaf soil, well-decayed cow manure, and silver sand 
in equal proportions. Place the rougher portions of the compost 
over the drainage and some finely sifted on the top. Press 
firmly, allowing an inch from the top of the pan ; then sow 
the Beed as evenly as possible, covering it with the fine soil, 
