531 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 18, 1830. 
gated form of S. umbrosa, the London Pride. This is a cheap 
plant, and it is surprising that it is so seldom seen. It is beautifully 
blotched with white, and a large rosette forms a very pretty object. 
To see the London Pride in perfection a rosette should be planted 
singly, with plenty of room to develop in, and in rich soil. Thus 
grown it will attain dimensions which will surprise most of those 
■who see it. The only other variegated Saxifrage I know of, but 
which I have not seen but hope to add to my collection in spring, 
is S. liypnoides argenteo-variegata, one of the mossy section. This 
variety is described as having the foliage elegantly margined white. 
Although I have not seen this, I feel sure, from the reputation of 
the firms sending it out, that it will be a valuable addition. It will 
probably require some attention to keep the stronger green shoots 
from choking the variegated. 
One could say much about some of the beautiful encrusted 
Saxifrages, but space will not permit at this time, and I must pass 
on to speak of other plants. While on the subject of variegated 
plants the Arabises must not be forgotten. Of the three varieties 
I know—A. albida variegata, A. lucida variegata, and A. procurrens 
variegata—I must confess to preferring the first, especially where 
it is desired for hanging over stones. The variegated form of 
lucida is duller in colour and more formal in outline, while the 
other, when in good condition, is much brighter and clearer in 
colour, and has to my mind a great attraction from what one may 
be pardoned for calling an “ unstudied ” habit of growth. It 
should, however, be grown in an open place, and any tendency to 
revert to the original colour should be prevented by pinching off 
the green shoots as they appear. A large plant belonging to a 
neighbour who kindly gave me my first plant has now reverted 
entirely to the original green colour, while mine are as fine as ever. 
I have not yet been able to appreciate the variegated Alyssum, 
A. saxatile variegatum, or the Aubrietia, A. purpurea variegata, 
but this appreciation may come in time. 
Very valuable are some of the Euonymuses, such as E. radicans 
argenteo-marginatus and E. r. aureo-marginatus. The Aucuba- 
leaved Daisy is not very satisfactory with me, but is attractive 
where it does well. Some of the silvery leaved plants w'hich are 
pretty in summer, present few attractions in winter. Antennaria 
tomentosa may be named as one of these. This cannot be said 
of Santolina incana, a dwarf shrubby plant, which is very con¬ 
spicuous at this season. It will be found better to raise a stock of 
this every two years, as the older plants often become a little un¬ 
sightly. It grows very readily from cuttings. 
Glaucous-leaved plants are very useful at this time. Old plants 
of Carnations look well where they stand from year to year, but 
the Pinks are much finer for winter decoration. The old white 
variety is as good as any of the garden forms, but the neatest are 
some of the Alpine Pinks. One plant I have which crowns a 
projecting knoll of rockwork, built to check a current of wind, is 
particularly fine. It is nearly 2£ feet across, and is a hillock of 
spiny glaucous foliage. It is greatly admired, and time after 
time do I stop to enjoy its beauty. Asphodelus luteus will 
also be found very attractive, with its grass-like glaucous green 
leaves. 
But my pen could run on long enough without exhausting the 
subject or dealing adequately with the many plants which lend 
brightness to the scene. To-morrow when I again look out many 
will silently reproach me for forgetting them. Ericas, Semper- 
vivums, Sedums, Thymes, Cotoneasters, Aubrietias, and others are 
mute yet eloquent witnesses to the truth that the lover of hardy 
plants can enjoy in gloomy December a feast of beauty, which is 
none the less welcome when accompanied by the knowledge that 
many bulbs are beginning to peep above the soil, and are 
thus prepaiing to yield him that pleasure which they can so well 
bestow. 
But while looking forward hopefully to the time when—• 
“ Fair handed Spring unbosoms every grace,” 
let us not forget the graces of winter—the brilliant mounds of 
green, of grey, and of parti-colour, which brighten our gardens and 
are the “ silver lining ” of the cloud which the short days inevitably 
lay upon us. —S. Aknott. 
ONIONS. 
I added several new varieties to my usual stock of Onion 
seed at sowing time, and amongst them I found Laxton’s Concord 
superior to his Sandy Prize, but by no means so true. It will re¬ 
quire selection, but the most globular type is certainly a handsome 
heavy Onion, and superior to any kind I have hitherto tried. I 
have selected a few, and shall save the seed, and after a year or 
two no doubt shall have a good and level stock. My practice is 
always to save the deepest in flesh, for I prefer that to great cir¬ 
cumference, and by thus saving the thickest I have now obtained a 
stock of Rousham Park, which is considerably heavier than the 
usual sample. This is a flat Onion certainly, but large, thick, and 
heavy, and only second to a careful selection that I have made of 
Improved Anglo-Spanish, which is globular. These two Onions 
are my sheet anchor, but I shall certainly grow the seed from my 
selected Concord. Sandy Prize grew large, but it is a flat Onion, 
and I have discarded flat Onions with the above exception. South- 
port Globe, which I received from Xew York, did not satisfy me f 
and I shall not grow it again. The large flat Onions that are the- 
pride of the exhibitor are of little household use, and, as a rule, 
are bad keepers to boot, a medium-sized, thick, heavy, close-grained 
bulb being what is required by the cook, and these will not begin 
to grow in such a hurry as the monsters. When Onions are ex¬ 
hibited I think weight ought to be stated, and weight ought to be- 
the principal point in determining their position. It is so at some- 
places, but at others circumference seems the acme of perfection, 
and weightier but less imposing looking bulbs are passed by. 
My practice when I lived elsewhere, where the soil was ex¬ 
tremely light and gravelly, was to sow seed the first week in 
February, weather permitting, and I found I did not succeed if I 
failed to sow during that month. I attempted the same plan two- 
years in succession here on my heavy soil, but failed to get a plant, 
each time, although I had used burnt earth both to mix with the; 
soil and to cover the seed. The middle of March I find quite-, 
early enough, and although they seem to grow slowly for a long 
time they pull up wonderfully in July. 
It i3 sometimes hard work to ripen the bulbs in showery 
autumns, but where the practice of a cottager hereabouts cm be- 
followed there will not be much difficulty. He has driven hooks.- 
in rows all up the south side of his cottage, and after pulling his 
crop, and tying them in bunches, he hangs them on the hooks,, 
where they never fail to ripen.—II. S. Easty. 
DRACAENA LINDENI, 
This is one of the most useful foliage plants that has been-: 
introduced during recent yeans. It lasts a considerable time in 
rooms without injury, and will bear the temperature and conditions 
of the conservatory from April until October, or longer if the 
temperature of that structure does not fall below 50°. Although, 
it will bear for a long time shady positions in rooms and in the 
conservatory, it does much better and lasts longer where a fairly 
light position can be accorded it. Highly coloured specimens are- 
handsome, but poorly coloured ones are ordinary in appearance, 
and in this condition the plant has not much to recommend it. 
Success in having the plants a good colour or the reverse depends 
solely upon the treatment they receive. Many have been unsuc¬ 
cessful in this respect through growing the plant in too warm a 
temperature. In a close stove the plant either becomes green or. 
a sickly yellow, and is destitute of those beautiful markings w-hich 
render it so conspicuous. Plants that are in this condition will, if 
removed to a lower temperature, soon develope coloured leaves. 
An intermediate temperature appears to suit it best, although it 
does not grow so rapidly as under stove treatment. This does not 
matter materially as long as well coloured examples can be pro¬ 
duced, for if once they are developed they last a considerable time, 
and in light sunny positions in rooms we have known them grow 
and improve. Plants that were taken into the dwelling house in- 
June are still there, and will last for some months longer in a. 
presentable condition, when they will be cut up for stock. 
This Dractena does not require to be fully exposed to the sun, 
but it is by no means particular to the amount of shade. The- 
temperature appears to be the main factor of importance, whether 
the foliage colours or not. Even if heavily shaded in a moderately 
low temperature it colours well. We have this season discovered 
that it is at home even in a late vinery where the foliage was 
moderately thin and air was admitted liberally. To develop fine- 
specimens they should never have insufficient root room from the 
time heads or cuttings are rooted. Pot them from time to time,, 
until they are placed into 10-inch pots, if large well developed 
plants are needed. This size is none too large, although the plant 
can effectively be used for decoration in any size down to 2-inch 
pots. We have found it succeed admirably when potted firmly 
in a compost of fibry loam, sand, and one-seventh of decayed 
manure. 
It has been said that this Dracaena can be propagated too slowly 
to be used for general purposes of decoration, and this is true if 
one system, and a general one, only is practised. After taking ofl: 
the head, which sometimes flowers after the plants have been root- 
bound and checked to wait for side shoots, which are produced one- 
by one at intervals of time, is too slow. A quicker way is to cut 
up the stem into lengths of about 3 inches, and insert them singly 
