124 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 11, 1887. 
Narcissus. Foliage dark green, loose, but more compact than that of 
Conqueror ; serrated. 
Hedge'8 Britannia .—A tender plant with robust-looking foliage of 
light green, and a stout stem which carries well a large even truss 
almost equal to that of Star of Bethlehem. Pip fiat, angular ; edge 
pure grey which soon fades ; colour too broad, but of the richest, softest, 
light reddish plum, the lightest and brightest of all its sub-class ; paste 
of good breadth and form ; eye orange, of good proportions, with low 
anthers. Foliage light green, crisp, neat, slightly indented. 
Lancashire .—The raiser of this was Robert Lancashire, whose name 
it most properly bears ; but it was let out, after some vicissitudes not 
very creditable to northern judgment, by Mr. Cheetham, whence its 
common name Cheetham’s Lancashire Hero. With one exception, its 
undecided edge, it is the model Auricula. Its pip is large, with large 
rounded petals, and opens flat; edge greenish grey, sometimes nearly a 
pure green except the bead ; colour nearly black, of good breadth, bold ; 
paste well proportioned, defined, of good substance ; eye light orange 
that fades to brown, with very short stamens ; magnificent trusser ; 
toliage small, dark glossy green, not unlike that of its evident parent 
Bolivar, or its grandsire Ringleader. Like all of the race it is slow in 
opening, but does not cup like the other two. 
Lightbody's Alma ,.—A fair second-rate flower, of no great beauty. 
Pip almost circular but not flat ; nor does the truss sit well for want of 
length in the footstalks ; edge good ; colour very dark mahogany, not 
broad enough ; paste of good substance and proportion ; eye often too 
large with prominent anthers, of a good orange colour. Foliage pear- 
shaped, serrated, mealed up the rib. 
Lightbody's Richard Headly .—Pip well rounded, broad petalled, not 
large, flat ; edge good grey beaded ; colour rich brownish plum, not 
always of sufficient breadth ; paste of good substance, circular, defined; 
eye deep brown orange, anthers even with the surface ; medium trusser. 
Foliage smooth, glaucous, pear-shaped, slightly mealed. Altogether a 
refined and good flower. 
Lightbody's Sir Charles Napier .—Of the Conqueror of Europe sub¬ 
class, of equal size and of similar foliage. Pip round and flat: edge 
good grey ; colour nearly black but inconstant in breadth ; paste well 
proportioned and circular; eye too broad but of good greenish yellow, 
good trusser. 
Maclean's Unique .—A very striking and useful flower, that lasts 
very long in bloom ; but though it looks hardy even to coarseness it is 
very susceptible of frosts or cold winds in spring which are sure to sere 
the edge round the colour. Pip round and flattened ; edge good grey ; 
colour of the most likely dark maroon with a dash of plum in it, almost 
sparkling from its pointed form ; paste angular, land might be broader 
with advantage ; eye orange, too large, low anthers ; good trusser. 
Foliage very dark green, smooth. 
Smith's Captain Barclay .—Pip as large as in Conqueror or Ne Plus 
Ultra, and as flat as that of the latter, or indeed of any Auricula ; 
rather tame, but not coarse, circular with broad petals ; edge a good 
warm grey ; colour purplish violet and enough of it; paste good, 
round, sufficient ; eye orange with very short stamens; foliage curled 
not serrated ; truss- ! One of the best of the large flowers. 
Sykes' Complete.—-A fine as well as a striking flower, carrying a 
large truss often thrown up as in Fletcher’s Ne Plus Ultra from a 
small plant. Pip round but not flat ; edge decided grey, beaded ; 
colour well proportioned, of so deep a brown as to be black in daylight ; 
paste even and well proportioned ; eye open, of full size, light yellow ; 
tube closed by anthers. From the time the truss appears this variety 
is easily distinguishable from all others by the dots of meal as large 
as a pin’s ihead with which every part of truss and stem is covered, 
whence the beading of the opened pip. Foliage curled and recurved, 
deep green, glossy, smooth at the edge. 
Warris's Union .—Not cf much value. It most resembles Privateer, 
but has a lighter body colour, and is not compact either in pip or truss 
like that variety, but has a straggling look. Pip tolerably flat with 
deeply indented petals ; edge good ; colour rich dark brown, even ; paste 
good, round ; eje well proportioned, orange ; not a good trusser. Foliage 
abundant, notched, veined, mealed up the rib. 
Waterhouse’s Conqueror of Europe .—An extra sized flower, which 
therefore presents a difficulty in matching it for exhibition purposes. 
Pip round, broad petalled, smooth, slightly cupped ; edge good grey, too 
bioad; colour dark chestnut, not broad enough, spotted with meal ; paste 
defined, good ; eye browned orange with short stamens. Certainly de¬ 
ficient in refinement except when it gives more colour than usual. 
Sensitive of cold in spring which produces a yellow stripe down the 
centre of each petal. Foliage spare and uneven, dark green. 
Witimer's Squire Chilman .—A fine flower. Plant of extra size ; 
•foliagelarge, flabby, abundant, slightly mealed on edge and rib. Pip 
flat, petals pointed ; edge good grey, too narrow; colour rich dark 
plummy brown ; paste good, circular; eye deep yellow, well propor¬ 
tioned, with prominent anthers ; truss large and well formed. 
Wood’s Lord Lascelles .—A large, bold, coarse flower, with an unde¬ 
cided edge, though I have once seen it classed as a green, one of a pair 
than won a silver cup. Those days it is hoped are over. It makes a 
large plant with handsome serrated foliage, that sends up a stout stem 
carrying an ample truss that needs much arranging. The pip is large 
and flattens sufficiently though not perfectly, pointed ; edge light green, 
thickly spotted with dots of meal; colour very deep brown, bold and 
good ; paste broad, defined ; eye light orange, much too large, with 
projecting anthers. 
(To be continued.) 
AMERICAN PLANTS. 
The following notes formed the chief portion of an essay read some 
time since before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society by Mrs, 
T. L. Nelson :— 
When summer flowers have bloomed and faded, and the Aster and 
Golden Rod are in their glory—when on the hills the gorgeous tints of 
autumn are glowing and shimmering in the hazy atmosphere, we begin, 
to think of the time when there will be nothing outside to even remind 
us of leaf and flower ; and then we gather, if we will—for Nature is 
lavish of her itreasures—our winter stores. What visions of the past 
rise before us, when all outdoors is bound in snow and ice, at the sight 
of a “ winter greenery,” as we sit before the fire and our gaze dreamily 
wanders towards the place where it is sitting. Again we are in the 
woods enjoying ourselves. At our feet sparkles and dashes the little 
brook, and, by its side, Moss, Lichen, and Fern are beautiful as ever ; 
we hear the rustle of the leaves over our heads, and it seems so real that 
it is hard to break the spell. 
But all this must be gathered before it can be enjoyed. Meadows, 
swamps, fields, and woods are to be visited and carefully searched, for in 
them, oftentimes only indicated by a dried leaf or berry, are the plants, 
bulbs, and tubers which are resting, and therefore the more to be sought 
after for winter bloom—for I have found by carefully watching that 
plants which bloom in spring and early summer are more to be relied 
upon for flowers in winter than later blooming ones. In cultivated 
flowers we select the largest and strongest bulbs and roots for winter 
blooming. If we wish to grow Lilies for winter flowering we select 
the finest bulbs, for in them is stored the perfect leaf and blossom. 
So in our selection of native plants select the strongest and best, for 
some will fail. Surely no florist expects to bloom all the plants and 
bulbs that he puts in his houses ; and for some unexplained reason some 
—in fact many—refuse to give us flowers in winter, yet they bloom 
abundantly in their native soil and season. I find from experience that 
most native plants can be grown successfully in light woody soil with a 
mixture of meadow moss ; and also that flat wire baskets or dishes, not 
more than 3 inches in depth, lined with moss and filled with earth in 
which to set the plants, are better than close dishes. After they are 
filled set them in a dish or saucer with water in it. In this way the 
moss acts as an absorbent, and supplies water as the plants require it. 
Moss on the surface, between the plants, is useful in counteracting the 
dryness of the air in our living rooms—for I take it for granted that 
native plants are to adorn and beautify our homes ; they are not often 
found in greenhouses. In speaking of the depth of the dishes, I am 
assuming that only small-growing plants are likely to be cultivated. 
And now we will take a look after plants. 
First, let us gather Epigsea repens (Trailing Arbutus). It ought to 
be gathered as late as possible, for the buds must be formed before 
gathered, and then it is not necessary to have much root; only keep the 
plants moist and close. I have not succeeded often in flowering it, 
except in a fernery or Wardian case, but it is almost sure to bloom under 
glass if properly gathered ; and how beautiful it is we all know. 
Hepatica triloba and II. acutiloba have thick, persistent leaves, and 
also form their buds in autumn. I find them among the surest of 
winter blooming plants ; in fact, they bloom in all places—in ferneries 
or dishes, sun or shade, their pure little blossoms appear almost before 
we know, or dare expect it. 
Sanguinaria canadensis (Blood-root) can be easily flowered, and 
although the foliage is coarse, as the flower comes before the leaf is 
grown, and as the plants can be forced but once, the foliage is of no 
consequence. The flower is pure white, and exquisitely beautiful. 
Calla palustris (Water Arum), our wild Calla, growing in muddy 
and swampy places, is really an attractive plant, and, having a 
tuber like Richardia rethiopica, can be easily grown, and with similar 
treatment. In Massachusetts it is herbaceous, and blooms in early 
summer. 
Next we will look after Arisaema triphyllum (Jaclc-in-the-pulpit), 
which forces finely. You can readily find it by its bunch of intense 
scarlet berries. On taking away the old stalk, you will find the bud 
ready to start when you are ready to start it. I have seen exceedingly 
fine plants of it in winter ; and with their stately leaves and blossom 
they are really very beautiful. They grow equally as well in open 
dishes or baskets as in a fernery. 
Sarracenia purpurea (American Fitcher-plant) is easily grown in wet, 
peaty moss, and, aside from the beauty of its “ pitchers ” (which you 
know are really the leaves of the plant), has a very curious flower. It 
is found in swamps and low, moist ground. 
Erythronium americanum (Yellow Dog-tooth Violet) bears cultiva¬ 
tion well, but will not bear the sun. It is one of the earliest spring 
flowers and is desirable, as both flower and foliage are beautiful. The 
foliage varies in marking ; sometimes it is very much spotted, and again 
almost as entirely green. 
The lovely Houstonia cserulea has never been sung by poets, but 
nevertheless it is lovely beyond compare. Pure and innocent, it raises 
its sweet little face to our gaze, and we think of all that is good as we 
look down upon it. I gathered “Alpine Daisy ” on Mount Washington, 
and admired its lovely blossoms, but, at the time, remarked to a friend, 
that it was no more beautiful than our little neglected Houstonia. 
This flower is also among the earliest spring flowers. What would be 
easier, as it grows in clumps, than to take up a piece or clump, and not 
disturb the roots, and when it has rested let it bloom in winter l 
Clintonia borealis has a greenish yellow, bell-shaped, Lily-like 
