274 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 12, 18&4 
fruU. Mauj fruit trees there are now of various kinds, shapes, 
and sizes that need assistance, not a few urgently, in the directions 
indicated, removing terminal blossom buds promptly by cutting 
back to the most promising wood buds where extension is desired, 
and applying nourishment in the most quickly available of all 
mediums, generous liquid manure.— Experientia docet. 
THE GLADIOLUS IN SCOTLAND. 
[_Conchideil from page 2o6.) 
With regard to the hardiness of G. gandavensis I am afraid 
it is hardy only in some favoured localities. It is not so in Scot¬ 
land. Neither is G. brencbleyensis hardy, nor Lemoine’s hybrids 
of the purpureo-auratus section and the Nanceianus varieties. It 
has been a great disappointment to find these of Lemoine’s so 
tender, as some of the sorts are very beautiful when grown in 
groups left undisturbed for two or three years. I have found 
it necessary to treat them in the same manner as the hybrids of 
gandavensis. 
A brochure published in 1890 by M. Lemoine affords much 
interesting information concerning the origin of the different 
sections of present-day Gladiolus. The following extracts relate 
to gandavensis ;—“G. cardinalis and floribundus and . . . G. psit- 
tacinus or natalensis, three most interesting species, the crossing of 
which gave later the Gladiolus known under the name of ganda- 
vansis.” “It was in 1837 that the gardener of the Due d’Aremberg, 
named Beddinghaus, formed the idea of fertilising G.psittacinus with 
cardinalis.” “ This Gladiolus (gandavensis) had the habit and inflor¬ 
escence of G. psittacinus, but in larger proportions ; the colours of 
G. cardinalis, but more varied.” Louis Van Houtte of Ghent 
acquired the stock of this new hybrid, and sent it out in 1841 
under the name of G. gandavensis. For some years I cultivated 
a number of the type, and found much variety among the plants. 
To quote again from M. Lemoine :—“ Shortly after G. gandavensis 
had been distributed in gardens we are informed that Mr. Cole, 
gardener to Mr. J. Willmore, Oxford, had crossed this variety with 
G. floribundus, an old species with rosy white flowers. Nearly 
at the same time M. S)uchet of Fontainebleau made some 
analogous trials.” In this case gandavensis was crossed with 
blandus and with ramosus. “ At the same time M. Truffaut, 
Versailles ; Verdier pere, Ivry ; and Courant, Poissy, attracted 
notice through the beautiful results which they obtained.” That 
was in 1853. 
Few of the varieties raised twenty years later are now worth 
cultivating alongside the splendid sorts which have appeared of 
late years, alike in this country and on the Continent. The hybrids 
of Dean Herbert “ sprang from a mixture of G. cardinalis, blandus, 
carneus, inflatus, angustus, and tristis.” In the year 1880 Lemoine 
distributed two Gladiolus which have proved to be the first of a 
numerous family. These had already attracted attention on 
account of their beautiful colouration and the unique markings 
of the flowers. To the best of the two the name of Lemoinei was 
given. The history of these in brief is this : In 1870 a new species 
of Gladiolus was introduced from Natal. Its name, purpureo- 
auratus, is derived from the light yellow colour of its small flowers 
and the deep purply blotch in the throat of each of these. In 1875 
Lemoine cross-fertilised this species with the best varieties he was 
able to procure of the gandavensis section and three seedlings 
resulted, two of which, as stated above, were distributed in 1880. 
What gave an extra attraction to these flowers was the assurance 
that they were perfectly hardy. There is no reason to doubt that 
they are hardy in certain localities, but that they are absolutely so 
is incorrect. I treated the first bulbs I had as hardy plants and 
lost them. But they are so well worth cultivating that I do not 
grudge giving them the «arae treatment as the no less worthy 
gandavensis. For vase furnishing I prefer some of the earlier 
raised varieties to later kinds. Such as Lemoinei, W. E. Gumbleton, 
Lamartine, Sceptre d’Or, and Etoile are most beautiful. In 1890 
Nuee Bleue appeared, and last autumn many blue-flowered varieties 
are offered in M. Lemoine’s list of new plants. 
The Nanceianus section was the result of crossing G. Saundersi 
with varieties of the purpureo-auratus group, and vice versa. The 
flowers of these varieties are very large, and some of them most 
brilliant in colouring. On the other hand, some kinds are not at 
all attractive. Looking at them from a decorative point of view. 
Da Candolle and A. de la Devansaye are far ahead of many of the 
others. I find these are no more hardy than the other sections. 
It would almost appear that the dry, hot soil of M. Lemoine’s 
nursery at Nancy gives an indication that the requirements of 
these are in some respects quite different to the needs of ganda¬ 
vensis. The latter succeeds best in a somewhat humid atmosphere. 
and it cannot bear drought at the root. At Nancy it dies where 
the others grow and multiply. It is, therefore, quite possible that 
a hot diy border might be found the most suitable place to grow 
these in Scotland, and probably also in such a soil they might prove 
hardy. 
Herr Max Leichtlin had procured seedlings from a cross of 
G. gandavensis with G. Saundersi, a year previous to ]\L Lemoine’s 
successful attempt with the latter. M. Lemoine has since heard 
that the collection containing these seedlings was sold to nursery¬ 
men in the United States. Some which he grew appear to have 
greatly pleased him. Last year a coloured plate was distributed 
from the United States representing some beautiful Gladioli. The 
name given to these was G. Childi. Can these be the ones said to 
have been sold from Baden-Baden ? 
It is a curious fact that Gladioli are not only difficult to 
increase in this country, but that many cultivators cannot keep up 
a stock without purchasing annually. I am aware of instances 
where fresh corms are bought in every year, and no attempt made 
to keep the old ones. Where only a tew Gladioli are grown this 
sjstem answers very well, as fresh imported corms do so much 
better than home-grown ones, and 100 or 200 can be now bought 
very cheaply. Where, however, a large number is required it is 
certainly worth while to take some care, in order to keep the 
collection not only in good health, but even to increase it annually. 
In the cut state the Gladiolus is pre-eminent among the flowers of 
autumn, and as a rule it is not so well cultivated as its merits 
demand that it should be.— R. P. Brotherston. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
As I write, calm and bright days prevail, and the flowers which 
are open seem to enjoy them as much as we. There is no lack of 
plants worthy of praise. Pale Primulas look brightly out from 
their allotted places. Hepaticas, too, white and red and blue, 
attest the worthiness of the taste which made them favourites 
long years ago. Elegant Snowflakes, with their pure and handsome 
flowers, seem to outshine the last of my Snowdrops—Galanthus 
Gusmusi and G. virescens. Anemone blanda unfolds its starry 
flowers to the sun, and vies in beauty, if not in splendour, with its 
sister flower A. coronaria, of various hues. 
The Crocuses, which have had such an unhappy time, have 
sought to atone on sunny days for the many disappointments 
experienced by a lover of these beautiful flowers. With gold, 
or purple, or white or streaked cups, they have charmed us with 
their brilliant beauty. Many times has the writer stood and 
admired and enjoyed these dazzling flowers, an enjoyment enhanced 
by seeing and hearing the bees as they dived into these perfect 
blooms. The Glory of the Snow also has given much delight, 
while other flowers to be afterwards mentioned have brightened 
the borders and rockeries. But beautiful as all these are, when 
March and April come the glory of the Daffodils seems to over¬ 
shadow all others ; for in what flower have we so much perfection 
of form and colour ? We have to seek the precious metals to 
express as well as we can the colours of these flowers. And yet 
“ pure gold ” seems an unworthy expression to apply to the hue 
of the yellow Daffodil. Can “ silver,” too, that depreciated metal, 
fitly describe the pale beauty of such little Daffodils as Narcissus 
Ajax moschatus ? The combination of “silver and gold” with 
which we seek to describe Empress or Horsefieldi is all too weak to 
praise in fitting terms that harmony of colour we see in these 
glorious flowers. Fain would the writer say more of the Daffodil 
with its incomparable flowers, delightful alike in woods and glades, 
or in the border, or on the rockery. It is, however, a flower which 
can only be worthily dealt with by a specialist, and my collection 
of somewhere about a hundred kinds, although selected as being 
typical of the various sections, is too small to drive away one’s 
feeling of diffidence and make one feel confident that more critical 
remarks would be appreciated. Some day I may have the temerity 
to speak of the Daffodil at greater length ; but, meanwhile, with 
this tribute of homage to this flower we feel constrained to leave 
to abler pens the pleasure of writing to urge its claims, and pass 
on to humb'er flowers. 
Ever welcome in the garden are flowers which give some shade 
of blue. Few are there without some tinge of purple, but even 
these are much admired. Among these the Squills are becoming 
more and more appreciated, their earliness, hardiness, and beauty 
all tending to make them more sought after. One of my favourites 
is Scilla bifolia, which not only gives us the colour desired, but 
others. In my garden there are now some eight kinds, including 
the large flowered one from the Bithynian Olympus referred to 
last month. This form has nearly all the flowers marked with a 
distinct white stripe on each petal. The typical S. bifolia, like 
many other bulbs, improves much when established, and is very 
