Jane 7, 188S. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
463 
Sedums, of wMcli good selections of the most distinct are grown, and as 
a preservative of moisture and to afford protection to the plants stones 
are freely employed around the plants on the banks, and evidently with 
beneficial effects. One mound of Verbascum phceniceum is now very 
■beautiful, the plants 3 or 4 feet high, with graceful spires of flowers half 
their height. The variety is one with flowers of a peculiarly rich purple 
hue, and established upon the tops and slopes of the mound the plants 
shed their seeds and a constant succession of seedlings is thus secured. 
Still keeping to the woodland, Scilla nutans and its varieties were 
flowering beautifully at the time of my visit, and greatly prized are the 
varieties received from the late Miss Hope of Wardic Lodge. These are 
3 )ure white, blush, pink, bright rose, and blue, all with fine spikes and 
bells, a delightful contrast of tints. Lilies of the Valley are found 
thriving in several shady situations, and they will be greatly extended. 
Ferns also are at home, particularly in one retreat, which, while shaded 
from sun at mid-day, yet admits some broken rays early in the day, and 
there the Holly, the Oak, and the Parsley Ferns are most luxuriant, while 
a graceful New Zealand Fern, Hypolepis millefolium, introduced some 
years ago, has taken possession of the ground, and is spreading like 
Bracken. Along the margins of the dells and rivulets, and wherever a 
fresh cutting is made in the soil, the common Blechnum spicant springs 
up in abundance, forming a pretty fringe to the banks. 
In the open again,'the lake has already been incidentally mentioned 
together with that charming little. Cape of Good Hope aquatic Apono- 
-geton distachyon, or IVatcr Hawthorn as it is so fittingly designated in 
popular language. This has taken full possession of the lake and covers 
its surface with its pale green leaves and white fragrant flowers, being 
perfectly hardy, a fact that is not sufficiently realised, as there are many 
■similarly sheltered situations where it would be equally satisfactory. 
Some years ago I remember making its acquaintance in Mr. Parker’s 
nursery at Tooting, where in small watercourses, that were little more 
than ditches, it had become established, and year by year increased 
rapidly and flowered as freely. At Merton also, near the river "VVandle, 
a piece of water is filled with the plant equally as vigorous, floriferous 
and uninjured. Water Lilies of various kinds are included in the 
Wisley lake, while its margin is clothed with a selection of the most 
■effective of water-loving plants, a variegated Carex showing up well in 
-contrast with the prevailing green tints. 
The shrubbeiy, in addition to those noted last week, contains nume¬ 
rous fine plants of Eubus odoratus, E. nootkaensis, and the handsome 
w-lnte E. deliciosus. The last is of smaller growth than the others but 
seldom seen flowering so well, though they have been successful with it 
at Kew and Eegent’s Park, but Messrs. C. Lee &; Sons exhibited spe Si¬ 
mons a few years ago at South Kensington in fine condition from a 
plant in the private garden of one of the members of the firm at 
Hounslow. Upon the higher ground near the Lily beds is a row of 
seedling jdants of Chimonanthus fragrans which are fast developing 
into a little hedge, and possess considerable interest. Mr. Wilson says 
■that when visiting Dangstein some years ago in the company of Dr. E. 
Hogg and the Eev. M. J. Berkeley, a plant of Chimonanthus was 
noticed that was bearing a quantity of seed, which at once attracted 
^attention, as it had been declared by scientific authority that seeds could 
not be formed without the fertilisation was assisted by insects, and the 
jearly period at which the flowers are produced rendered it very impro¬ 
bable that such assistance could be afforded. However, the seeds proved 
fertile, as both Dr. Hogg and Mr. Wilson succeeded in raising plants, 
.and, as already remarked, the latter now has a long row of healthy 
■specimens. The increase of the Chimonanthus has always been a sub¬ 
ject of interest, and there is a well-worn story to the effect that Dr. 
Lindley once offered a guinea for every plant that was raised from a 
cutting, but the prize was never claimed. Mr. F. Bause, when propa¬ 
gating in the Chiswick Gardens, however, succeeded in accomplishing 
this so far as the formation of roots is concerned, but I believe that they 
never grew and ultimately died. Some time ago it was claimed that 
plants had been raised by means of cuttings taken when the leaves were 
tfully developed well rooted in a vinery, and an experienced friend 
assures me he has succeeded in a similar way. 
Eoses are favourites at Wisley, not formal standards or bushes, to 
afford exhibition blooms, but all climbers and trailing Eoses that cover 
walls or hedges with growth and flow-ers. Two sides of the cottage 
facing full east and north are clothed with plants of Eeve d’Or, which 
are promising a delightful display of flowers. The golden bronze Wil¬ 
liam Allen Eichardson is planted to cover hedges and trellises, while the 
fresh green foliage and large red and white flov,-ers of E. rugosa suc¬ 
ceeded by plentiful crops of fine fruits make sirperb hedges. For a 
similar purpose the American Blackberries are extensively employed, 
and plentiful gatherings of fine fruits are obtained during the season.^ 
Such in brief are some of the characters and features of Wisley, im¬ 
perfectly pourtrayed, but an hour or two spent amidst such a diversity 
•of interesting objects admits of little more than generalisation.—L. C. 
APRICOT BRANCHES DYING. 
Ik an article on Apricots on page 434, it is st.ated that old trees are 
constantly losing branches as well as numerous spurs on the live wood. 
This can be pre-vented in a very simple way—namely, by leaving the 
ground undug, aud weeded only by hand for 3 feet from the stem of 
the tree. As sure as the roots are injured by the fork or spade so sure 
is a branch or spur to suffer in consequence. If in the height of summer 
the ground near a tree is dug and a strong root cut off, in a few days a 
branch perhaps laden with half-ripened fruit 'will wither and die, or if the 
small fibrous roots near the surface are damaged, the spurs will die just 
in proportion to the mischief done to the roots. Instead of bringing on 
young trees to take the place of the old ones, I advise your readers to 
avoid injuring the roots of the old trees, but protect and manure them 
w-ell, and thus insure a constant large crop of any and all wall 
fruit.—Y. Z. 
HABBRLEA RHODOPENSIS. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, on May 22nd 
last, a plant of Haberlea rhodopensis was exhibited from the Royal 
Gardens, Kew, and a first-class certificate was awarded, as, though by 
no means a novelty, it is seldom seen. It is dwarf, resembling a 
Eamondia in habit, but with somewhat funnel-shaped flowers, 1 inch 
long, like a small Streptocarpus, the tube purple, and five white lobes. 
FiCi. CS.-HAI’.EULEA EHODOFEKSIS. 
They are borne in trusses of three or four flowers each, arising from 
amongst the foliage. Haberlea rhodopensis is a n.'.tive of Macedonia, 
and is closely related to the two genera mentioned above. In Decan- 
dolle’s “ Prodromus” it is placed in the family Cyrtandracea?., between 
Eamondia and Conandron, both monotypic genera, E. pyrcnaica and C. 
ramondioides being well-known garden plants. 
GREENHOUSE RHODODENDRONS. 
I AM not surprised that some of your readers should have recently 
inquired about these. In my opinion they are amongst the finest of 
all greenhouse plants. Some also possess a delightful fragrance like 
Rhododendron fragrantissimum. 1 was telling a friend the other day 
what grand flowers they were. His reply was, “ I knovv, but I have 
no room to grow them.” Now this seems to. be the impression of 
many who own comparatively small greenhouses and conservatories, and 
it IS a mistake. They do not require any more space than Azaleas and 
ordinary greenhouse plants. 
Of late we have had some plants of R. fragrantissimum masses of 
flowers. These are in 9-iuch pots, and the plants are not more than 
