202 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 17, 1892. 
important as the white A. Schertzerianum Williamsi or album, 
which was introduced about 1874, and certificated a few years later 
(1878) by the Royal Horticultural Society under the name of 
album. Everyone who was concerned with the improvement of 
these plants at once perceived what a valuable variety this would 
prove for crossing with the scarlet forms, and it is probable that 
several endeavoured to secure crosses in this way about the same time. 
M. de la Devansaye was one of the successful raisers ; at Ferrieres 
also M. Bergmann obtained a cross of the same character with 
remarkable red-spotted spathes which made its dehul under 
the name of A. Rothschildianum, and was certificated in London 
on May 11th, 1880. I am not quite sure respecting the chrono¬ 
logical order in which these crosses flowered, whether, for instance, 
M. de la Devansaye had his in flower before that at Ferrieres, but it is 
certain that he has raised numbers showing every gradation between 
the white Williamsi on the one hand to the ordinary scarlet 
Schertzerianum on the other. 
Considerable differences in sizes, form, and depth of colour in 
the spathes had been obtained previous to the crosses described, 
but since then quite a large and important group of variations has 
been formed, exhibiting some remarkable combinations, and show¬ 
ing the scarlet colouring in spots, streaks, and clouding on a white 
ground, of an extremely diverse character. Comparatively few 
varieties have been selected by M. de la Devansaye for names, and 
amongst these the following may be noted here as the most dis¬ 
tinct. A. tSchertzerianum Devansayanum is one of the first, and 
the finest of these, and when shown in London by Sir Trevor 
Lawrence on April 13th, 1886, it was at once accorded a first-class 
certificate. The spathes are about 5 inches long when well grown, 
and heavily spotted with bright scarlet on a pure white ground, the 
back of the spathes being scarlet. The large size and clear defini¬ 
tion of the spots renders this one of the most beautiful and 
effective of all the varieties. Marie Th4rese is another of the 
Rothschildiannm type, with very large spathes of the well known 
variety Wardi shape, also beautifully and clearly spotted. Madame 
de la Devansaye is a distinct variety, the spathe of good shape, 
creamy white, relieved by bright red at the base of the spadix. 
Souvenir de Versailles has a number of fine red dots scattered 
over a white spathe. Le Fresne has a peculiarly twisted spathe 
heavily marked with deep red at the base of the spadix, white, 
spotted with red towards the tip. Album maximum has broad 
finely formed spathes, pure white, and constitutes a valuable 
addition to the white varieties. This made its appearance at the 
Temple Show in 1890, when a certificate was awarded for it. All 
these varieties have the same free flowering and vigorous habit of 
their parents, and arranged with Ferns the most useful, while many 
prefer the white and spotted forms for cutting to the brilliantly 
coloured varieties of the ordinary type.— Lewis Castle. 
POTTING PLANTS. 
Like “ T. W.,” on page 178, I am far from agreeing with all Mr. 
Dunkin’s remarks on the above subject, and am particularly convinced 
it is one of the greatest errors imaginable to pot a Palm loosely to 
induce free and rapid growth. Some of the finest specimens exhibited for 
many years at the principal western shows, and with which Mr. Dunkin 
is not wholly unacquainted—I allude to the grand plants of Latania, 
Kentias, Arecas, &c., shown by Mr. G. Lock of Newcombes Gardens, 
Crediton—were among the finest examples of rapid growth and good 
culture that have ever come under my notice, and I can answer for the 
soil about their roots being made firm at potting time. 
Generally speaking, for the majority I advocate firm potting of 
plants, although it undoubtedly necessitates far greater care in water¬ 
ing for some little time after, as it is then so much mischief may be, and 
so often is, wrought by an over-supply of water. It is far better to err 
a little on the dry side than to give too much water immediately after 
potting, the fresh soil into which the roots have not penetrated soon 
becoming sour and useless if kept too wet at the outset. 
There are, as Mr. Dunkin remarks, some exceptions, notably Anthu- 
riums, Alocasias, and Caladiums, for all of which the soil should be very 
loose and of as free and open a nature as it is possible to obtain. Here, 
again, I would mention one exception to the general rule for this class 
of plants, for Alocasia macrorhiza variegata will be found to succeed 
best in a mixture of equal parts turfy loam and peat, with sand and 
charcoal added, and moderately firm potting. Of the three genera men¬ 
tioned above, I have found Anthuriums require a different degree of 
looseness in their compost from the others, and fully one-half of the 
whole material for potting these beautiful plants, both foliage and 
flowering varieties, should consist of crocks and charcoal, in addition to 
half filling the pots with drainage, so that the necessary liberal supply 
of water may be given from the first without fear of its becoming sour 
and inert. 
In Mr. Dunkin’s article on page 178 he says he considers the practice 
of keeping the collars of hardwooded plants raised “ not a good one,” 
and further advocates keeping them lower than the surrounding soil. 
I strongly advise all growers of these most beautiful plants to 
hesitate before following this advice, particularly with the delicately 
constitutioned Hedaromas, Dracophyllum gracile, and Ericas of the 
Aitoniana type of growth. 
One other point in Mr. Dunkin’s later article I wish to comment 
upon. He says, “ In the case of Heaths and Ericas pots only one size 
larger often suffice.” First, I would like to ask him what distinction 
there is between Heaths and Ericas. If by one size Mr. Dunkin means, 
as I presume he does, one inch larger in diameter, I contend that he errs 
in giving such advice, for with only half an inch of space between the 
ball of soil and the sides of the pot there is great danger of the delicate 
roots being severely injured by the potting stick, and also danger of 
leaving hollow spaces between the layers of soil, which would soon prove 
still more injurious, most probably fatal, by allowing the water to 
escape from the pots before it had penetrated the old ball of soil. Better 
by far is it to leave any hardwooded plant alone until it will bear a shift 
into a pot 2 inches larger, as it will when properly rooted, and if not in 
that condition it certainly does not require shifting at all.—C. Lock, 
Bristol. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 8th. 
Scientific Committee.—D. Morris, Esq., in the chair. Present : 
Messrs. Elwes and Michael, Professors Green and F. Oliver, Dr. Hugo 
Muller, Dr. Scott, and Dr. Masters. 
Adventitious Buds on Bibes. —Mr. Burbidge sent specimens of these 
productions on Bibes aureum, to show that the conjecture advanced on 
a former occasion, to the effect that the swellings in question were due 
to constriction and to the accumulation of moisture by a ligature, such 
as a shred, was not tenable, as in the case now sent the plant grew 
as a shrub without any such ligatures, and yet these swellings were 
produced. 
Hellebores. —Dr. Miiller stated that he had performed experiments 
similar to those detailed at a previous meeting by Mr. Burbidge, and, 
owing to the diversity of the results obtained, concluded that the slit¬ 
ting of the flower stem longitudinally had no definite relation to the 
length of time that the fiowers remained unwithered. Dr. Scott stated 
that he had examined the anatomical construction of H. niger and H. 
orientalis, and found considerable differences between the two species. 
Possibly the greater amount of transpiration due to the presence of 
leafy bracts below the fiowers of orientalis might have something to do 
with the more rapid withering of the flowers. 
Iwo-coloured Tulip. —Dr. Masters reported that he had examined the 
Tulip exhibited at the last meeting, and found that the distribution of 
the colour was as follows ;—One of the outer segments, that nearest the 
axis, or the posterior part of the flower, was red, the other two yellow. 
Two of the inner segments were half yellow, half red, the red portions 
being in juxtaposition with the red outer segment. Of the stamens, the 
three in the posterior part of the flower, that is to say, one of the outer 
(opposite the red sepal), and two of the inner series were completely 
red instead of being, as might have been expected, half red and half 
yellow. 
Cypripedium Dayanum. —Dr. Masters reported on the specimen sub¬ 
mitted to him at a former meeting. In this the true lip was absent, but 
each of the two lateral petals was partially developed in the form of a 
lip. The posterior stamen. A, 1, which is usually not developed in 
Cypripedium (though it is the only one present in other Orchids), was 
also present in a lip-like condition. The two stamens, A 1, A 2, were 
present in their ordinary condition. The flower in question was, there¬ 
fore, partly double, and added another illustration of the probable 
development in the future of “ races ” of double Orchids. 
Larvce Destructive to Grass in Hong Kong. —From Mr. Ford came, 
through the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, specimens of the 
larvre and of the perfect insect of a species of Tinea, reported to be 
very mischievous in Hong Kong. The specimens were referred to 
Captain Elwes for examination and report. 
Hybrid Narcissi, —Rev. G. Engleheart sent flowers of a hybrid 
produced by the inter-fertilisation of N. triandrus and N. monophyllus 
var. alba, to show the similarity of the result obtained by the inverted 
crossing of the two species. 
The Dyeing of Flowers.—Ytom Mr. W. Brockbank came a large series 
of dried flowers, the venation of which had been rendered apparent by 
the action of aniline dyes. The cut ends of the flower-stalks were 
i mmersed in the fluids, so that the colouring matter was absorbed by 
the vascular tissue of the flowers. The results were very striking, and 
likely to be of use to botanists. 
Plants Exhibited. —From Mr. Burbidge came Helleborus torquatus, 
from the College Botanic Garden, Dublin ; Mistletoe from Pyrus malus 
var. praecox, on which it is found that the berries are produced more 
freely than on other trees—the foliage, on the other hand, being less 
well developed. These effects are analogous to those produced by 
grafting on a dwarfing stock. Tellima grandiflora rubra, remarkable for 
the rich red colour of the foliage, the colour being especially noticeable 
in winter time, so that the plant makes a good setting for bulbs. The 
winter coloration of the leaves of this species is analogous to that 
observed in some of the Ivies, notably the variety atro-purpurea, which 
turns nearly black in winter. A fiower of the rarely seen Dissochroma 
viridiflora from the same garden was shown. It is remarkable for 
its green colour and the peculiar shape—between funnel-shaped and 
bell-shaped. 
Diseases of Mountain Ash. —The Rev. W. Wilks sent a specimen, 
accompanied by the following letter :—“ I noticed a Mountain Ash tree 
