August 27, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
178 
Violas round London, there is a charming collection in the R.H.S. 
Gardens at Chiswick, sent for trial by Messrs. Dobbie & Co. of 
Rothesay, N.B. They have done splendidly, and are still the 
brightest feature in the gardens. I was informed by several trade 
growers in the north that the unexpected demand for Violas this 
spring has completely cleared out their stocks. 
I often hear people grumbling about the great number of Violas 
they lose in a hot summer. I think the principal cause is late 
planting in the spring. Autumn and early spring is the proper time 
to plant, as Violas are perfectly hardy, but some varieties grow better 
than others through the summer, these that are shy to seed remain¬ 
ing the longest in bloom. I noticed at Kew Gardens that Ardwell 
Gem (yellow) and True Blue grew best. They are shy seeders ; in 
fact, I doubt very much if any of the Ardwell Gem class seed at 
all, comprising as it does Ardwell Gem, Goldfinch, and the sport 
from Goldfinch, Duchess of Fife. This is the most charming 
Viola in commerce, and has been in great demand this year, one firm 
alone having sold 4000 plants of it. Violas that are dwarf and tufted 
in habit succeed best in the south, as they afford a natural shade 
to their own roots. Sports in Violas are of frequent occurrence. 
At Chiswick a variety called Delicata, sent out in 1890, has sported 
completely in every plant into a fine striped variety, somewhat after 
the style of York and Lancaster but much prettier. Again 
Columbine has sported into York and Lancaster, not a single flower 
retaining its true character. 
Regarding Mr. Dean’s notes on new 1891 varieties, I think 
Beauty, Cottage Maid, and Wonder are the best of the set. 
Hartree is attractive, but no improvement on either Columbine 
or Lucy Ashton, both of which it resembles. Mrs. Neil is a great 
acquisition, and next to Duchess of Fife is the finest Viola sent out 
during recent years. It was introduced, if my memory serves me 
right, by Messrs. Dickson & Son, Edinburgh, in 1890. I slightly 
differ with Mr. Dean regarding Sunrise. No doubt it is a large flower 
and rich in colour, but its flowers have such short footstalks that for 
sprays and glasses it is almost useless, and even on the plants it 
does not show well. A much better flower, after the same style, 
but without the above defect, is Princess Beatrice. Mr. Dean is 
quite correct in his notes on all the others. Self Violas having 
neither markings nor rays are being eagerly sought after, and are 
very charming. The best ray less seifs are in whites, Lady Polworth 
and Countess of Hopetoun. Dean’s Bridesmaid is a rayless flower 
of a peculiar shade of subdued yellow. The best yellows are Queen 
of Spring, Golden Gem, and Golden Circle ; all are very charming. 
It has been my good fortune to have seen a number of the new 
varieties to be sent out in 1892, and I can assure lovers of Violas 
that they will not be disappointed in the 1892 set, as several of 
them are quite novel and charming.— Viola. 
THE FINEST VINE IN BRITAIN. 
On visiting the other day, as I have been accustomed to do 
occasionally for years past, the gardens at Speddoch, my attention 
was called by the gardener to a paragraph in your issue of August 
Gth, headed “ The Finest Vine in Britain.” On reading it I 
was somewhat surprised to find that the writer of the article 
claimed this title for the Manresa Vine, and he gave the grounds 
on which the claim is based, mentioning at the same time the 
well known Vine at Kinnell House as the only possible com¬ 
petitor. 
I am not sure that the Manresa Vine will be permitted to carry 
off the coveted honour so easily. The Speddoch Vine, whi'e 
making no boast of its size, lays claim to qualities which are of far 
more value than the mere power of occupying a large space under 
glass. Speddoch is a quaint old mansion Dine miles from Dumfries, 
and within half a dozen miles of the moorland solitude where 
Carlyle wrote “ Sartor Resartus.” The principal house measures 
only GO feet by 20, but within that limited area grows what one of 
our highest authorities in matters of gardening has declared to be 
“ the most wonderful Vine in Britain.” It is of the Black Ham¬ 
burgh variety, with one rod grafted on it of the Buckland 
Sweetwater. It bears more than 500 bunches, averaging over 
2 lbs. each ; and this year, as for several years past, the total yield 
will be considerably over 1000 lbs. Thus, on a Vine hardly more 
than a fourth the size of the Manresa Vine a larger and finer crop 
is grown. Therefore, if judgment is to be based not on mere 
magnitude, but on the quantity and quality of the fruit produced, 
the Speddoch Vine must rank a long way ahead of the Manresa 
Vine. 
Mr. A. Smith, who has had charge of the gardens and 
houses at Speddoch for over twenty years, will be glad to 
show this fine Vine to anyone interested ; but to be seen at its 
best it should be visited within the next ten days, as cutting 
will be in full progress after that period. It may be mentioned 
that there are other three houses at Speddoch containing smaller 
Vines, which yield proportionately as heavy a trip as “the 
finest Vine in Britain.”— Karmi. 
NOTES ON PLANTS. 
Veratrum nigrum commands attention in the herbaceous 
border by the peculiarity of the colour of its blossoms, which may 
be described as purplish black ; it is the nearest approach to black 
of any flower I know. Under good cultivation the flower spikes 
run up from 3 to 4 feet high. The leaves are a somewhat pale 
green in colour, broad and bold in appearance. Altogether this 
Veratrum is one of the most interesting plants in the list of hardy 
perennials. It does not increase rapidly ; some time is needed to 
obtain strong plants, but when once established they annually 
flower well without any trouble. Our plant is glowing in a nook 
of the rockery where it has a deep root run in holding soil, and it 
has had nothing done to it since it was planted five years since. 
Division of the roots is the most ready way of securing a stock of 
plants. 
Sedum pulchellum is one of the late flowered varieties of this 
large family, and is extremely useful for covering parts of the 
rockery which happen to be somewhat overhung with trees, which 
this variety does not seem to mind in the least. It is close growing, 
not more than 2 inches high, except the flower heads, which extend 
4 or 6 inches; the colour is rosy lilac. As to propagation it is 
perhaps the easiest of all Sedums to manage. 
Amongst hardy Statices S. latifolia is now in its beauty on the 
rockery. The pale blue or lavender coloured flowers are so freely 
produced every year as to render it a safe plant to cultivate. It 
does not appear to mind if the weather is severely cold in winter 
or broiling hot in the summer. This Statice is easily grown from 
seed sown in the spring in a cold frame. 
Montbretia Pottsi is this year flowering very well indeed, even 
more so than last year, in spite of the hari winter which has so 
seriously affected M. croccsmaedora. We had last year several 
strong clumps of the latter, but they are now but weak both in the 
growth and flowers, indeed long after the usual time for the 
growth to show above the surface I thought they were dead, 
but a little later a few weakly growths appeared. It will require 
at least another season before the clumps are as good as they were 
last year. M. Pottsi does not seem to have suffered from the frost 
or adverse weather of any kind, for now the clumps are beautifully 
in flower and from 3 to 4 feet across, indeed I think the leaves are 
more luxuriant than I have seen them before. The brick red of the 
funnel-shaped flowers, which hang downwards almost hiding the 
internal yellow of the perianth, is quite an uncommon colour in 
the border. Some persons say that to get these Montbretias to flower 
really well the roots should be taken up occasionally and divided, 
but my experience leads me to think the reverse ; certainly it is 
not applicable to M. Pottsi. 
Telekia cordifolia, or as some prefer to call it Buphthalmum, 
is a grand plant to grow where boldness of character is appreciated, 
but in the ordinary herbaceous border of a limited extent it is tea 
large to have justice done to it thoroughly. Where this shows to 
the best advantage is when growing on the grass, so that it may 
have an all-round effect. The bold foliage has a distinctly tropical 
appearance. The Ox-eye Daisy-like flowers resemble very much the 
blooms of some of the Anemone Japanese Chrysanthemums, the 
florets being narrow and slightly twisted, falling away from a bright 
yellow disc. Propagation is easily effected by dividing the roots 
in the autumn or spring, according to the soil in which it has to 
grow. If of a light character the autumn is the best, but if 
the reverse the spring affords the best chance of success, as growth 
at once takes place after removal in early April. 
For continuity of flowering, easy growth, and requiring little 
aid in maintaining an orderly appearance in the borders, 1 know of no 
plant to excel Buphthalmum salicifolium. It commences unfolding 
its bright yellow Ox-eye Daisy-like flowers early in July and con¬ 
tinues without intermission until the end of September, sometimes 
longer. There appear to be two varieties of the type ; one, the 
most generally seen, growing not more than 2 feet high, with a 
somewhat spreading habit, forming a dense bush, while the other 
grows always fully 1 foot higher and more erect. If anything the 
flowers are a trifle smaller on the tall growing plant, but both are 
exactly of one colour. Propagation is most easily effected by 
cuttings of side shoots which have not flowered taken off early in 
September, inserted in sandy soil in a cold frame, remaining there 
until the following May, when they will be bushy little specimens, 
and if planted then where they are intended to flower they will 
produce abundance of blossoms the following year. It is wise to 
strike a few cuttings every year ; a stock of neat, compact flowering 
plants are then always on hand. The old roots when toey get too 
