August 10, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
119 
known than any, and are seen in florists’ windows from January 
until Easter-time, having been forced in greenhouses. The flowers 
are large, trumpet-shaped, borne singly on stout stems, wholly 
yellow in such varieties as Golden Spur and Trumpet Major, and 
with a white perianth and yellow trumpet in Horsfieldi, and a 
primrose trumpet with yellow perianth in Obvallaris, the Tenby 
Daffodil. The Incomparabilis and varieties follow the trumpet 
section in their period of blooming, and are distinguished by a 
larger perianth and smaller trumpet, which is in these called the 
crown. Of this class the great Welsh Chalice Flower, Sir Watkin, 
is the best. It has a vigorous constitution, and increases quite 
rapidly. The Poets’ Narcissus is the latest of all to bloom. The 
flowers are white, with a small crown edged with red. It is, more¬ 
over, very sweetly scented. 
Doronicum plantagineum excelsum is a very handsome early 
yellow blooming Composite. It makes an excellent border plant, 
and furnishes a good supply of flowers for cutting. The Virginian 
Cowslip (Mertensia virginica), with its lovely panicles of metallic- 
blue flowers, is ever welcome ; the cut flowers are charming. This 
should always be planted where it can have especial care. It forms 
long tuberous roots ; dying down very early in the season it is apt 
to be overlooked and destroyed by hoeing. The common English 
Primrose and the more recent Primrose-Polyanthus hybrids have 
developed a beautiful class of plants for early spring border work, 
as well as for general house decoration. There are now strains 
producing flowers of all shades of red, purple, lilac, yellow and 
white. Heuchera sanguinea is a comparatively new and beautiful 
species from Mexico. It is suitable for the front rank of the 
border or for the alpine garden. Its long, slender spikes of 
coral-red flowers are particularly beautiful, and last for a long 
time. Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus), although rather un¬ 
wieldy for cutting, have the affectionate regard of all flower lovers. 
They are best cultivated as biennials. Seeds may be sown in 
May, and, transplanted 8 inches apart, they make good clumps 
for shifting into blooming quarters in the spring following. Day 
Lilies (Hemerocallis) are among the most satisfactory border 
plants. The flowers are of various shades of yellow. By’taking 
H. Dumortieri, orange yellow, early ; H. graminea, sulphur yellow, 
early ; H. flava, yellow, summer blooming; and H. Thunbergi, 
sulphur yellow, late, a supply of these may be had for a long 
time. The flowers are sweet-scented, and are effective for deco¬ 
rative work. 
Pseonies generally suggest, in the popular mind, very showy but 
rather coarse double flowers. The single varieties are exceedingly 
handsome and very appropriate for vases. The Maltese Cross, or 
Scarlet Lychnis (L. chalcedonica), is a very common border plant, 
very bright and pure in colour. In this respect it is unique. No 
plant gives so much satisfaction, taking care of itself perfectly ; it 
remains more or less in bloom during the entire summer. L. ves- 
pertina plena is the double form of the common evening scented 
species of Europe. While healthy enough where established, it is 
safer to protect its rather fleshy rootstock with a few dry leaves. 
The Alpine Poppy (Papaver alpinum) and the Iceland Poppy 
(P. nudicaule) are more or less in bloom the whole season, and if 
picked when freshly opened will last two or three days. The 
colours of the first-named are mostly shades of red and white, of 
the latter yellow. In habit and constitution they are very much 
alike. These elegant little species are not quite happy in an 
ordinary border ; they should have a space set apart, free from the 
shade of coarse growing plants, and also have the slight protection 
of leaves or Pine needles rather than manure. Perennial Lark¬ 
spurs are noble border plants. Their majestic spikes of blue stand 
out distinctly. The double varieties are desirable for cutting, 
lasting well. By a little care in cutting away seed stems a supply 
may be had until late in the autumn. The double white Achillsea 
Ptarmica, although rather weedy in habit, is a free bloomer and 
quite indispensable where cut flowers are required. 
Coreopsis grandiflora is a clear yellow flowering species, giving 
an abundance of blooms until late. It is rather biennial in 
character, but sows itself so freely that there is never any danger 
of losing it. The double as well as single varieties of Pyrethrum 
roseum and Potentilla grandiflora are general favourites in 
European gardens, where many fine named varieties are cultivated. 
These should be grown in beds or borders by themselves and 
receive abundance of water in summer and light protection in 
winter. Thermopsis caroliniana, a yellow-flowered member of the 
Pea family, makes a bright and attractive border plant. Its hand¬ 
some spikes of yellow flowers are useful in vases. Many other 
perennials might be added, but Helianthus decapetalus, single and 
double, Aster bessarabicus, A. Novoe-Anglise, and the Japanese 
Anemones must close this list of useful plants, and these will 
furnish flowers from spring until autumn.—T. D. H. (in Garden 
pud Forest). 
Bulbophyllum viride. 
This small species was sent to Kew for determination by Philip 
Crowley, Esq., Waddon House, Croydon, in December, 1890. A 
plant presented to the Kew collection has since flowered on two or 
three occasions. It is allied, says the “ Kew Bulletin,” to B. in- 
tertextum, Lindl., from the same region. The flowers are wholly 
light green, except for the presence of a pair of small dull purple 
eye-like spots on the base of the lip, and a stain of the same colour 
on the face of the column. 
Eria albiflora. 
This plant was sent to Mr. J. O’Brien of Harrow-on-the-Hill, 
Middlesex, with whom it flowered in June, 1891, and again in 
August of the following year ; and it has also flowered at Kew. 
It belongs, the “ Kew Bulletin ” observes, to the section Bryobium, 
and may be placed next to E. articulata, Lindl. The flowers are 
white, and are borne in a lax raceme on a slender scape. There is 
a drawing in the collection marked “Wynaad, Sept., Jerdon’s sale, 
1873,” which is evidently the same species, but it does not appear 
to have been previously described. 
CffiLOGYNE TENUIS. 
This species belongs to Lindley’s section Flexuos^, and, accord¬ 
ing to the July number of the “ Kew Bulletin,” may be placed 
next to C. borneensis, Rolfe (supra p. 62). It differs in its one- 
leaved pseudo-bulbs, slender scapes, and other characters. It was 
introduced by Messrs. Linden of L’Horticulture Internationale, 
Brussels, with whom it flowered in August, 1892. The flowers 
were somewhat withered when received, but appear to be of a light 
buff shade, with very few markings on the lip. The pseudo-bulbs 
and leaves are described from a reduced sketch. 
Masdevallia Gelengiana. 
When exhibited by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., at the meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society, on April 25th of this year, a 
fig. 18 .—masdevellia gelengiana. 
plant of Masdevallia Gelengiana created some interest amongst 
orchidists, and a first-class certificate was awarded for it. As shown 
in the engraving (fig. 18), the plant is dwarf in growth, being less 
than 4 inches in height. The flowers are not very large, and are 
pale greenish yellow tinge, covered with minute rosy crimson spots. 
The tail-like appendages to the blooms are about 3 inches in 
length. 
