Angust 9, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
113 
i ich luscious fruit every season. My soil is tolerably strong, and the re¬ 
quisite number of the previous year's shoots are pegged-in to an unsightly 
wall during the spring. They often make 4 or 5 yards’ growth of very 
strong wood. In September, 1881,1 sent bunches of fruit to the Journal, 
which were favourably noticed. 
Being a late fruit it is essential that the plants should be grown in a 
sunny aspect. I daresay every soil would not grow them satisfactorily, 
but with me the difficulty would be to get quit of them. Keighley 
station is a mile and a half from my Willow Bank nurseries, and I shall 
be pleased to show these beautiful plants to anyone who may think it 
worth while to call and see them. I have tried Lawton and several 
other Blackberries, but I do not find any equal to the Parsley-leaved.— 
John Carter, Keighley. 
BRODLEAS. 
I Am induced to write a few remarks upon these lovely bulbous 
plants at the present time chiefly because they are a source of great 
pleasure to me, having had not less than ten species and varieties in 
flower at the same time, for the most part in pots, also examples of 
each kind are planted out and flowering equally as well. They are, 
indeed, very showy plants, especially the Vegetable Fire-cracker, 
which, I believe, is the Yankee name for B. coccinea. This species is 
so distinct from all other flowers that when once known it is not 
easily forgotten. These Brodiaeas, although closely resembling various 
species of Allium and Triteleia, nevertheless have a distinctness which 
renders them very desirable. They are easily cultivated either in 
Fig. 21 .—Broclitea coccinea. 
pots or in the border. A few of them increase abundantly in their 
favourite spots, and they are extremely pretty in masses. B. coccinea 
is perhaps the most tender of all, but it will stand outside all the 
year if the position it occupies is well drained and facing south or 
west. The precaution, of course, can be taken of lifting the bulbs and 
potting them, so that they can be put in a place of security for the 
winter. It richly deserves such a small amount of attention. Most of 
the other species here mentioned require little attention if planted 
out in moderately rich light soil; in fact, every lover of hardy flowers 
should have a special border prepared for the reception of choice 
hardy bulbs. In preparing such a border it is necessary to insure 
drainage and a good depth of soil, which of course can be qualified 
to suit the several and variable requirements of any particular set of 
plants. The Brodiaeas are all natives of North America, confined for 
the most part to the western States. I have carefully considered the 
synomony of the species here described, since the trade of American 
bulbs is being largely increased, and such may be of service to some 
buyers, as all these synonyms are often quoted as species. 
B. capitata, Benth.—Leaves slender, smooth. Scapes from 1 to 2 feet 
high, smooth, terete, umbellate. Flowers half inch to 1 inch long, 
broadly funnel-shaped, light purple, the segments rather longer than 
the tube. Known also under the name of Milla capitata, Baler. 
Native of California, in many parts of which it is very beautiful, 
extending to Utah. This is also a very handsome species, growing 
very freely if treated like B. laxa, as it is not at all fastidious as to 
soil, enjoying a warm sunny position. Flowering in July and August 
with us. 
B. coccinea, Gray (fig. 21).—A very handsome species, with narrow, 
channelled, slightly glaucous leaves, from 6 to 10 inches long. Scape 
from 1 to 3 feet high, umbellate at the top, with a few reddish bracts 
at the base of the pedicels. Flowers from four to sixteen in number, 
tubular ; the tube from 1 to inch long, about half an inch through, 
of a deep red-crimson colour ; limb segments ovate, slightly reflexed, 
of a pale green colour, not more than a quarter of an inch long, and 
less in width ; anthers as long as the perianth limb. This is a most 
distinct and handsome species, and very freely flowers. Well adapted 
for pot culture or for a warm border. It is not quite so hardy as 
most of the other species, but if the bulbs are planted deep and the 
surface of the soil slightly covered during the winter it will stand 
all right. It is so rich in colour and unique in appearance that it richly 
deserves some care being bestowed upon it. It is known as B. Ida 
Maia, Wood. Serono Watson, the celebrated American botanist, adopts 
the name of Brevoortia coccinea after Wood, but as the plant is more 
generally known in this country under the name of Brodima I have 
adopted it. It flowers in the open in our climate from June to August, 
and I recently saw at Messrs. James Dickson & Sons of Chester a 
quantity of plants in bloom at the same time, and the effect was simply 
charming. It is a native of Northern California, extending from 
Humboldt to Shasta counties. 
B. congesta, Smith.—Leaves narrow, glaucous, channelled. Scapes 
H to 4 feet high, densely umbellate or sub-capitate at the top. Flowers 
numerous, half an inch to three-quarters of an inch long, half funnel- 
shaped, with the segments nearly or quite as long as the tube. The 
former not reflexed, of a clear purple-blue colour, or rarely white, as 
in the variety alba, which is by no means so plentiful as the typical 
form. They are both very free-growing border plants, quite hardy, 
and readily establish themselves in most positions, increasing in 
strength yearly, and en masse they produce a very pleasing effect. 
The normal form approaches very closely to B. multiflora, Benth., but 
there are structural differences which keep them apart. Native of 
regions from San Francisco to Washington territory. Flowering in 
this country from the end of May to July. 
B. gracilis, Watson.—Leaves solitary, very narrow, one-sixth of an 
inch to a quarter of an inch broad, slightly glaucous. Scape 3 to 
4 inches high, slender, scabrous, purplish, umbellate at the top. Flowers 
few, half an inch or rather more in length, on slender pedicels equally 
as long or longer, of a bright yellow colour, the segments equalling 
the tube in length. A very scarce species, which I have never flowered. 
Found on the Spanish Peak, Plumas County. The bulbs of this species 
seem to travel badly after being collected, as on more than cne 
occasion I have received bulbs in a very poor condition. 
B. grandiflora, Smith (fig. 22, p. 115).—Leaves very narrow, nearly 
round. Flower-scape from 5 to 12 inches high, rarely reaching more 
than 10 inches in height, umbellate at the top. Flowers few, or rarely 
more than from eight to ten in number ; the perianth about an inch 
long, sub-campanulate ; the tube shorter than the segments of the limb, 
of a purplish-blue colour ; flower-stalks somewhat lengthened and 
slender. It is a very handsome, free-growing, and hardy species, 
flowering in July and August, rapidly increasing by bulbils when once 
established. Abundant in all the regions from the Mohave River to 
British Columbia.—J. T. R. 
(To be continued.) 
PEAS—THIN versus THICK SOWING. 
Mr. Ward, on page 60, gave a striking instance of the 
advantages of sowing Peas thinly. His plants of Evolution 
were placed 6 inches apart, in single line presumably, and not 
only made a good row, but he considered the plants were too 
thick by half. Recently I have been examining some Peas, and 
at the end of a fine row of Culverwell’s Giant Marrow is one 
plant standing alone, from a scattered seed no doubt, but it has 
been secured to the stakes. The vigour of this plant is ex¬ 
traordinary. It has branched freely, and the side growths are 
as strong as any of the main growths in the thick portion of the 
row. This vigorous plant is bearing thirty-seven pods of great 
size, whereas the other plants grown thickly have only from 
seven to nine pods. 1 could not find one with ten, and the pods 
are much smaller than those produced by the branching plant. 
