286 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 31, 1892. 
agency or other other pollen has got in, and the purity of the 
variety destroyed. 
The Aubrietias are a most free flowering and attractive section 
of dwarf growing plants. The ordinary one purpurea is very 
pretty, but is surpassed in size and brightness of colour by one 
raised by Mr. Ingram of Belvoir. The only difficulty with the 
plants is to keep them within bounds, as they so rapidly spread. 
Another beautiful variety has been raised by Max Leichtlin of 
Baden. It is of a beautiful soft tint of rose, and it may probably 
be the commencement of a new break towards crimson. Blues 
are capable of great divergencies, and a crimson Aubrietia would 
indeed be a great gain. Leichtlini is equally vigorous and free 
flowering as its parent, and is a most decided acquisition. 
The family of Campanula Ls a very large one, as is well known, 
comprising plants of all heights from the little dwarf Allioni to 
the stately pyramidalis. There are, however, but few of them 
fitted for the rockwork, but some of these are very pretty and 
useful. Thus, C. carpatica with its varieties is very useful, falling 
over stones and producing its flowers in great abundance. C. iso- 
phylla is another pretty and useful species. It is a limestone 
lover, and some calcareous substance should be put into the soil in 
which it is planted. C. turbinata also and its varieties have 
large blue bells, or white, as in alba. There are other kinds of 
dwarf growing ones, but I have found these sufficient for my 
purpose. Coronilla iberica is one of the very brightest of yellow 
alpines, being very free flowering and pure in colour. I hardly 
consider Cheiranthus Marshall!, although very pretty, as a fit 
subject for the rockery ; though described as dwarf it grows to a 
height of a foot or more. The dwarf Cytisus is also another 
pretty yellow flower, but I do not think equal to the Coronilla. 
There is no flower, I think, more grateful or pleasing in the 
early spring than some of the hardy Cyclamens, preceding by some 
time even the early Snowdrop and Crocuses, and yet I have not got 
it on this rockery. I had planted some roots of Atkinsi, vernum, 
and Coum on it, but I found that they were not happy ; and having 
read somewhere that they did best on a sunny border under the 
shade of trees, and having just such a place along the drive to my 
house which answered this description, I planted them there and 
they have done remarkably well, have seeded all over the place 
where the roots are planted, and now there is quite a bed of 
them of all shades of the colours ■found in this class. There 
seems to me, perhaps from this facility of seeding, a good deal 
of confusion, as the plants vary much in both the colour of 
the blooms and the markings of the leaves, some being beautifully 
mottled, and some quite plain. I had one under the name 
of Atkinsi which had most lovely marbled foliage with white 
flowers. I tried to get it from various quarters, but never 
succeeded. The place where they were planted is about the 
hottest spot in my garden, and they are thoroughly baked in 
the summer, and this is what they seem to like. I do not care for 
the autumn flowering varieties of this genus, as they seem to me 
out of place. 
Cypripedium spectabile, the Mocassin Flower, is happily a flower 
that submits to garden treatment, and is far more easy to cultivate 
than Calceolus, or most, indeed, of our native Orchids. It requires 
a moLst situation, shaded and peaty soil. My clump of it has 
always done well, but not so well since the Jubilee year, the long- 
continued drought of that memorable year having, I believe, 
injured it, as well as many moisture-loving rock plants. 
C. spectabile is a very beautiful flower, its rosy pink labellum being 
very bright. I have not been so successful with another North 
American Cypripedium—acaule ; but we can dispense with this 
when we have spectabile.— D., Deal. 
(To be continued.) 
THE ADVANCE IN AMARYLLISES. 
“ Time’s tyrannic sway " deals harshly with Amaryllises. With 
the exception of a few varieties, here to-day and gone to-morrow 
is the rule. With few other flowers has it become so much a matter 
of course to look for new forms every season that will eclipse all 
preceding ones. In the majority of cases we have recognised 
standard varieties, to the number of which additions are few and 
far between, but in the Amaryllis the season’s quota is not one 
novelty alone, which, after rigid scrutiny, is admitted into the ranks 
of the elect. We have whole groups of new forms, before which 
the varieties of the past have to give way. Great as was the 
improvement that many of these manifested when they made their 
first bow to the public, and warm as was the appreciation bestowed 
on them, they are found to “lag superfluous on the stage” when 
the new forms appear. 
All this speaks of the enormous scope for advance that there 
has been in Amaryllises, and, indeed, still is. In the case of many 
flowers the excellence produced presses closely on the excellence 
producible, or in other words, the maximum development possible 
has been approached, and hence further progress is slow and halting. 
But in these flowers, as in tuberous Begonias, the road has not 
been traversed so far, and thus it is that new byeways of form and 
colour are being opened up every year, the old falling into the back¬ 
ground. The work of exploration is a fascinating story, but it cannot 
now be dwelt upon ; moreover, its features are familiar to many. 
There have been the early experimental stages, the putting into effect 
of ideas that may have been clearly defined in their inception, or 
may have been more or less crude ; and there have been the further 
stages with objects sharply marked out when the success of the 
preliminary efforts had given a clue to the possibilities which lay 
hidden in the future. Then there has come the refining process, 
the gradual evolution of finer features in form, size, and colour. 
This is the stage that we are in now. Our hybridisers are not, to 
quote Lord Kosebery’s recently coined phrase, as “ men who 
dream dreams.” They have a great reality to work upon. They 
have secured the diamond, and like the skilled lapidary, seek to give 
it a setting and a polish worthy of its value and its beauty. _ 
The part that Messrs. Veitch & Sons have played in the 
development of the Amaryllis is well known. For years past 
they have been persistently engaged in cross-fertilising and 
raising new varieties from seed, and the result has grown to be 
one of the great sights of the floral season. For several years 
past visitors have flocked to their nurseries at Chelsea in spring 
to admire the magnificent display of flowers, and, more par¬ 
ticularly, to inspect the latest novelties. It would be idle to 
deny that it is in the latter feature that the chief interest is 
found. The public recognise that the watchword in Amaryllises 
is Advance, and they are animated by a laudable desire to inspect 
and show their appreciation of the latest development of the 
florists’ art., So far no disappointment has ever awaited them. 
The evolution of beauty has gone steadily on, and this year will 
mark no exception. The seedlings are full of interest, and many 
are of marked excellence. The display is as extensive as of yore. 
A span-roofed house, 64 feet long and 18 feet wide, is packed with 
plants in robust health and vigour, and the forest of spikes, with 
buds, half opened flowers, and blooms displaying their rich colours 
in perfection, combine to present a dazzling picture worth 
journeying a long distance to see. 
By no means have all the novelties yet reached the stage at 
which their merits can be accurately guaged, but several have 
attained to it, and have passed through the ordeal of critical 
examination to which all are subjected. Their names are given 
herewith;— 
Thelpius. — A light variety of fine form. The flowers are nearly 
white, but have a few lines of red. 
Nelona. —A distinct and promising variety, with a ■vigorous 
scape carrying three blooms. The flowers are carmine with dark 
veins and broad well-defined central stripes. 
Acme. —A splendid variety, and a decided improvement on one 
of last season’s specialities. Olivette. It is a beautiful rounded 
bloom, perfect in form, and of a rich light crimson. 
Eclipse. —A charming variety, which has recently been honoured 
by the Royal Horticultural and Royal Botanic Societies. It is 
white streaked with bright red. 
The Princess. —Noteworthy for its enormous scape, which is 
nearly 3 feet high, and numerous flowers. The latter are white, 
lined with deep rose. 
Simonia. —Rich deep crimson, with boldly defined central bars 
—or star—of green, and a free bloomer. 
Topaz. —A fine-bold, handsome flower of the salmon hue that is 
so popular in many flowers. Lady visitors may be expected to find 
abundant admiration for it. 
Terence. —A really splendid variety, the result of a cross with 
the crimson Dr. Masters and another. It is an improvement on the 
fine variety named in its larger size. It is a dwarf grower, a free 
bloomer, and the intensely rich crimson flowers are compact and 
well formed. This is one of the best of the collection. 
Orion. —A very vigorous grower, recently certificated at 
Eegent’s Park. The scape and flowers are large, and the colour 
crimson—an effective form. 
Urt'delia. —Another vigorous grower and free bloomer, bearing 
grand flowers of a rich deep carmine with bold central star. 
Zouave. —Large and of fine form, the rounded petals forming a 
very handsome flower ; colour, crimson. It is dwarf, and a sturdy 
grower. 
Argus. — A free bloomer, of robust habit ; certificated at 
Regent’s Park. Dwarf, with deep crimson self flowers. 
Plutarch. —Yery large deep scarlet self flowers, with long scape. 
Polyxenes. —Dwarf but very vigorous, with two spikes, each 
carrying a pair of flowers. Blooms of enormous size and fine 
