250 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 20, 1883 
N. triandrus .—A very charming species ; the perianth primrose, 
with the segments sharply reflexed like a Cyclamen ; cnp small, 
rather paler in colour. A variety of it exists under the name of 
albus, the perianth of which is creamy white. Both are peculiarly 
handsome and very distinct, requiring a cool damp situation in which 
to flourish. 
N. juncifolius .—A pretty dwarf-growing species with narrow 
Rush-like foliage and umbels of small Jonquil-like flowers of a deep- 
yellow colour, quite hardy, and a little gem in its way.— Daffodil. 
POTATOES. 
I HAVE often wondered if other people’s experiences in the matter of 
Potato-growing were anything like mine. I think mine must be peculiar, 
though they come to me every year as regularly as lifting time comes— 
nay, indeed I begin to taste some of the bitterness of them by mid¬ 
summer, and I go on tasting, the bitterness getting more bitter, even to 
nausea, until by the time the Potatoes are ready for lifting I am disgusted. 
These experiences nearly always result in the following conclusions and 
resolutions—never to grow a long-topped Potato in the garden again, and 
never to grow an American variety in the garden, let it be ever so much 
praised, and never to indulge in more than one novelty in a season. If 
I could only keep that last resolution I should do, but I am afflicted with 
the Potato fever every spring time, and of course I get all the catalogues 
of Potato people, and I swallow every word they say about their new and 
“ improved ” varieties, and I order some of them, and devote some of the 
best ground of my garden to them, with the annual result that I have 
grown a crop of no use except for the pigs ; the ground that they occupied 
is therefore wasted, because the Potatoes grown there are worthless to 
me for eating purposes, while the after, or winter crop, that must occupy 
all my Potato land, has been murdered by the sprawling tops of these 
new and improved varieties of Potatoes. But why cannot I learn sense 
and have done with novelties for ever ? I do seriously wish that I could 
form and keep such a resolution firmly. 
Let us start a company of gardeners (this is the age of companies, you 
know), shares nothing, expenses ditto, but profits tremendous, the prin¬ 
ciple of which shall be that no member of this company shall try more 
than one novelty (in anything connected with gardening) in ODe season ; 
the penalty for non-observance of the principle of the company being 
that the member so offending shall the next season try and prove, and 
report upon all and every novelty in seed or plant or root that is sent 
out. But seriously, it is very unwise for a gardener to use his land in 
growing something new, and which may prove worthless, and neglect to 
grow those things which he knows will probably yield him solid and 
satisfying produce. I am afraid, however, that many do it, and often 
get themselves into difficulties by so doing. It is much wiser to grow 
those sorts of Potatoes, and those only, that experience has taught each 
gardener do the best on his land and suit his after crops. You will see 
that I am trying to build myself up in a good resolution. I trust I may 
succeed. I wish some other gardener would say that he has done the 
same as I have done, but that he does not intend to do so any more. It 
would be a great comfort to me ; and, by the way, we two would form the 
nucleus of the company that I have hinted at.—H. 
GrAILLARDIA P1CTA yar. LORENZIANA. 
From the reports of this I expected great things, and am somewhat 
disappointed. Some few plants which were raised late last winter 
were kept through and propagated by cuttings, which is an easy matter, 
and these we have grown on as pot plants. Certainly so grown and 
secured to stakes they are neat and floriferous, but it was as a border 
plant I expected it to excel. This it has not done, and is not nearly 
so showy as the old G. picta. Neither in pots nor in the borders does 
it open properly, not one in 200 plants being properly double and worth 
saving. It varies a little, and with us comes under three varietal 
divisions—namely, red florets with yellow tips, purple florets with 
yellow tips, and pure yellow, which latter I think the most valuable 
Whether attention in selecting seedlings will ever give us a fully double 
flower or not is a matter for the future to prove ; but if ever success be 
attained one great drawback seems inevitable, and that is the tendency, 
during the long process of development, for the outer florets to wither 
and fall before the inner ones have nearly become developed. The new 
variety, to my thinking, is not nearly so valuable in any way, for cutting 
or otherwise, and does not come nearly equal to the old one for bright¬ 
ness.—M. B. 
California Lilies. —Dr. Kellogg, of San Francisco, who has given 
much attention to raising the California Lilies, finds L. WashiDgtonianum 
to be the most difficult to raise successfully. “The last time I was out,” 
he writes in the Pacific Rural Press, “ I took a thermometer to find 
the temperature where it thrived best in a wild state, also to consult the 
conditions under which it grew. There is one fact connected with the 
subject that if followed up might throw great light upon the culture 
of California bulbs. It is one which I have intended to investigate 
myself, and the only reason I have not is the distance and mountain¬ 
climbing necessary to accomplish it. It was a case of the Washington 
Lily growing in the basin of a rock. The remarkable feature of this was, 
the bulb was as large as the top of one’s head, and lying upon the ground 
were stalks 12 feet in length, carrying from fifty to one hundred flowers. 
Now, if anyone could investigate "the condition under which this growth 
was made, it seems to me that it would throw great light on the subject. 
This Lily, nor a great many other bulbs in California, will not grow in 
sand. I have seen a great variety of bulbs grow in these rocks where, 
in rainy seasons, they get a great deal of moisture. Lilium Humboldtii 
will grow in California. These seem to require the morning sun. Down 
below Santa Barbara one may go up a ravine, and if the ravine runs east 
and west, the Lily will always be on the northern slope, and perhaps on 
the other side not one will be found. Where the sun strikes when past 
the meridian you will not find a solitary one growing—that is, where- 
there is no timber; but if the ravine is shaded, trees growing over it, 
protecting it from the afternoon sun, it will grow on one side as vvell as 
on the other. As regards soil, a strong loam for L. Humboldtii would 
be better than leaf mould.” 
It has been already announced that an International Forestry 
Exhibition is to be held in Edinburgh next year, and we learn that 
the Queen had accorded her consent and patronage to the project. 
- The Brighton Corporation has recently purchased Prestos 
Park for £55,000, and it was opened last week, but a formal presentation- 
to the public will not take place until the grounds have been laid out. 
_ Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, has now a 
very extensive display of single Dahlias, comprising a great number 
of varieties, representing many fine shades of colour from pure white, 
through yellow, orange-scarlet, crimson, maroon, rose, and blush. 
- The Beading Horticultural Society announce their intention to- 
hold an Exhibition of Chrysanthemums on November 22nd of the- 
present year. 
- Gardening Appointment.—Mr. W. Pope has been engaged 
by the Earl of Carnarvon as gardener at Highclere Castle, Newbury „ 
Berks, and enters upon his duties in October. 
_ A very handsome presentation to Mr. William Taylor 
has been made by the Marchioness of Bath. It consists of a valuable 
and very beautiful drawing-room clock. A letter from her ladyship 
to her late gardener has enhanced the value of the gift. It is one of 
those frank, friendly, and appreciative communications which the truly 
great can afford to write to those who have served them faithfully and 
well. This letter and the present alluded to are deservedly prized by 
Mr. Taylor and his family, who are now residing near Bath. 
- We are requested to state that Mr. T. H. Hill, gardener to Mr.. 
A. W. Buggies Brise, of Durwards Hall, has lifted a root of the “ Mr. 
Bresee Potato,” grown with native guano, containing thirty-seven potatoes- 
The six largest weighed 2 lbs. 1 ozs.; 1 lb. 2 ozs.; 13 ozs.; 12^ oz.; 9 ozs. p 
8 ozs. The whole root weighed 13 lbs. 3 ozs. This prolific crop has been 
sent by the grower to be exhibited at the Native Guano Company s stand 
at the Fisheries Exhibition. 
- Mr. J. F. Mould, nurseryman, Pewsey, draws our attention 
to two mistakes in our report of Bath Flower Show on page 226, 
The third prize for nine stove and greenhouse plants in bloom was 
awarded to him and not to Miss E. Browne ; the second prize for six. 
Heaths was also awarded to him, not to Mrs. General Studd. Mr. 
Mould was also awarded the third prize for sixteen foliage plants- 
This was not the fault of our reporter, but of the system of attaching 
the prize cards. 
_ Ik the centre of the transept at the Crystal Palace an improve¬ 
ment of considerable importance has been recently effected—namely, 
the construction of a circular Fern dell and fountain, which affords 
a most pleasing break in the hitherto unoccupied space between the 
organ and the theatre. The sides are covered with ornamental cork 
and planted with Ferns, at the base being some rougher pieces of rock ; 
and from these the jets arise—one in the centre, which ejects the water 
to a considerable height, and five or six smaller ones around it. On 
the upper margin is a narrow border planted with Ferns and Sela- 
