462 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 23, 1893. 
remaining the same in every respect as the first year, except that 
the tubers are rather larger. 
The No. 2 seedling was giovn in pots for three years on 
account of its weakness, bul last year (1892) was planted outdoors, 
which much improved it in size of tubers. Although a most trying 
season, there was no trace of disease. Three tubers were planted, 
but one failed. Upon lifting the two plants on October 11th, 
1892, the crop consisted of twelve tubers—a very handsome white 
round, of excellent shape, and crackled skin, such as cultivators 
like to see. Six tubers were planted this year (1893), and 
upon examination when lifted four roots were found to be 
of the same type as the previous year, and these produced 
an extraordinarily large crop, but not quite so round in shape as 
last year, owing to a second swelling after the rain. The other 
two plants ran back to very small tubers and a large quantity of 
delicate fibrous roots, but the haulm was the same in every respect 
as the four plants just described, being very strong ; leaves rough, 
like Victoria, but the points of the shoots resembling those of the 
first cross. 
Such is the routine. The results obtained no one could see 
without being interested and without wondering what will be the 
outcome of this most carefully conducted aeries of experiments. 
If perseverance has its reward it will in this case be well won 
after so many years of persistent work in endeavouring to increase 
the yield and improve the character of the most important of our 
root crops, and with such a foundation to rest on as has now 
b?en laid the conductors of the work are looking hopefully onward 
to the future. 
AUTUMN AND WINTER HARDY FLOWERS. 
The appearance above the ground of two autumn Snowdrops— 
Galanthus octobrensis and G. corcyrensis, gives us no ordinary degree 
of pleasure. Thvir own beauty will be great in a week or two, and with 
a protective sheet of glass we may enjoy them until their delicately 
beautiful sisters of January and February appear. One may well 
ask, Why should the garden of hardy flowers remain desolate so 
long? Why, with so many winter flowering plants should a walk 
along its paths show nothing of brightness, and little but a melancholy 
array of dead stems and tallies ? 
Looking along one of my rockeries the other day I paused before 
a good plant of Saxifraga Fortunei, and admired its thick and succu¬ 
lent looking leaves and its curiously beautiful flowers. They are 
alike curious and beautiful with their green sepals and unequally 
sized petals of white, which are described as “saw-edged,” a term 
which may be botanically correct, but which fails to express the 
form in which they are shaped so as to add greater attractions to the 
flower, and which one cannot properly describe. The lower one is 
longer than any of the others, while the two upper ones again are 
shorter than the two which come between. The golden boss in the 
centre of the flower adds to its charms also, and a good plant with 
many of these flowers in panicles on thick, fleshy stems, fails not to 
please. Pity it is that the inevitable failing must be disclosed that 
early frosts at times play sad havoc with the plant, and that one 
night will destroy the hope cherished of the usual blooms. I find 
Fortune’s Saxifrage, which was introduced from Japan in 1863, to 
be most satisfactory on rockwork facing almost due south, and 
planted in sandy peat with the addition of a quantity of gritty 
matter. It is increased hy division, and a small piece 1 received a 
few years ago has now assumed quite respectable proportions. 
Extremely beautiful for a long period has been Androsace lanugi¬ 
nosa, A fine plant on the same rockery as Fortune’s Saxifrage is 
still in bloom, and its spreading stems of silvery leaves and rose 
coloured flowers with yellow eye, are very charming, I am referring 
to this plant at this time principally for the purpose of advising its 
covering with a sheet of glass or slate raised a few inches above the 
foliage, so as to throw off wet, and at the same time admit of the 
free circulation of air. When a slate is used I generally remove it 
during the day in fine weather, and, even with this trouble, I con¬ 
sider the slate preferable to glass, which in the spring sometimes over¬ 
stimulates the growth. All my Androsaces are thus covered from 
October until March or April, and the little trouble is more than 
repaid by the wealth and beauty of these charming alpines, 
. “spring” Heath, Erica carnea alba, has been so long 
in bud that I was not surprised to see it in flower a few days ago, and 
thus coming in long ere the Cornish Heath, E. vagans, has passed 
away. One is at a loss to know why more use is not made of this 
pretty Heather which, on sunny rockeries, will yield its bloom 
through some of the darkest and dullest months of the year. In my 
garden it is thoroughly at home, the white form which is sometimes 
known as E. herbacea, being always earlier than the flesh-coloured 
one. 
The time is rapidly coming when the claims of the autumn and 
winter Crocuses to inclusion in our gardens will need little advocacy, 
I may, perhaps, be allowed to mention two as indicative of the 
variety of beauty we may have. One of these is C. cancellatus, of 
which the type has pretty little white flowers veined with purple at 
the base, the flowers appearing before the leaves. This species, 
which is a native of Asia from North Palestine to Armenia, varies in 
colour, however, from lilac to white, and thus a considerable variety 
may be obtained. Very charming, too, is C. ochroleucus, which I 
had previously but unfortunately lost, and received this year through 
the kindness of a reader of the Journal. This is a beautiful little 
Crocus of a pretty creamy white with orange base. It is a native of 
Syria and North Palestine, and appears to be rather tender. It is, 
however, worthy of all care, and a little protection will be well 
repaid. 
The value and beauty of the Michaelmas Daisies become more 
and more apparent, and bushes of blue, purple blue, pink, lilac, and 
almost pure white in the borders fill us with pleasure. Nor are the 
flowers less beautiful or valuable when cut for house decoration, A 
little favourite with me, not so much from the size or beauty of the 
individual flowers, but from the habit of growth of the plant and the 
charming appearance it presents when in full flower, is Aster 
diffusus horizontalis. It smothers itself with small white starry- 
looking flowers with raised pink centres. The plant is so sturdy in 
habit that in a position where it is slightly sheltered from our severe 
gales from the Solway it requires no staking or tying, a great 
addition to its beauty being gained by the absence of the comparative 
stiffness inseparable from such supports. This season it has reached 
rather over 2j feet in height, and its spray-like branches add much to 
the beauty of the garden. It has also the merit of being extremely 
hardy, and with moderate weather should bloom on until Christmas 
Day. Indeed, in former years I have cut flowers from it within a 
day or two of the New Year.—S. Arnott. 
The Orchid Growers’ Manual. 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, inform us 
that they have a new (the seventh) and much enlarged edition 
of “ The Orchid Growers’ Manual ” in the press, with numerous 
additional illustrations, which will be issued early in the new year. 
L.elio-CattleYA Statteriana. 
This is another of the many beautiful bigeneric hybrids which 
have been raised by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic 
Nursery, Chelsea. It is the result of a cross between Lselia 
Perrini and Cattleya labiata, and is a charming novelty, meriting 
the first-class certificate awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society 
on November 14th. The flower, as depicted in the illustration 
(fig. 67), is large, the sepals and petals resembling those of Cattleya 
labiata in form and colour. A trace of Laelia Perrini is noticeable 
in the lip, the front lobe of which is a rich purplish crimson. 
The base of the lip is white faintly marked with crimson. 
Orchids for Flowering at Christmas. 
Orchids are always valued highly during the winter months, 
but at no period are they so much appreciated as at Christmas time, 
because most of those then obtainable furnish bright or distinct 
shades of colour, that are especially welcome when flowers are 
never too numerous or diversified. Many beautiful groups can be 
formed with the best of the winter-flowering Orchids, associated 
with Roman Hyacinths, a few early Lilies of the Valley, Ferns, 
and light Palms, as such arrangements are adapted for situations 
where bolder groups of the late Corysanthemums are out of place. 
Some also are useful for cutting when flowers for buttonholes, 
sprays, or choice bouquets are not very abundant. As the present 
is a critical and important time in the preparation of Orchids for 
Christmas, the opportunity has been chosen to give a few practical 
hints on the general management needed to ensure a prospect of 
