October 29, 189L ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
865 
Another plant in which I was considerably interested was a dwarf 
erect purple-flowered Linaria. This was unnamed, but I heard an 
opinion from a good botanist that the plant was L. Pellissieriana, which 
is said, however, to be an annual, while this plant is perennial. It 
must be observed that some plants named in our gardening and botanical 
works as annuals prove to be true perennials in many soils. This 
Linaria is apparently a very desirable plant. 
Several Statices were grown, among the best of these in flower being 
S. dahurica, pink and white, and growing about 14 inches in height. 
Other good kinds were S. Gmelini and S. echioides. Veronicas seemed 
pretty well represented, one which attracted my attention being 
V. Michauxi, a fine plant with a long spike of blue flowers. This seems 
to have been introduced in 1834, and is probably a native of North 
America. I had never met with this before, but was much pleased with 
this member of a family possessing great value for garden purposes. 
A good plant, too, was to be found in the typical V. virginica, of which I 
'had seen the white variety in Mr. Wolley Dod’s garden the previous 
week. Another good Veronica is named in Manchester rubicunda. I 
have had this in my garden for rather over a year without name, and 
several fruitless efforts have been made to find a name for it, and I was 
glad to have this supplied. I do not know the authority for the name, 
but the specific title is fairly descriptive of the pinkish tint of this 
pretty plant, which grows about 18 inches in height in my garden. 
V. amethystina, and several others, were also very pretty. 
I was too late in the season to see some of the Scabiosas and Cepha- 
larias, but what appeared a fine plant of imposing appearance was 
Cephalaria leucantlia, a native of the south of Europe, which I see was 
introduced in 1739. It was past its best, but seemed very like one 
grown in this neighbourhood under the name of Cephalaria tatarica or 
Scabiosa elata, but scarcely so robust in habit nor so large in the heads 
of flower. When in good condition C. tatarica is a fine plant for the 
back row of a wide border. Another species of similar habit, but 
dwarfer and smaller in the foliage, was grown as Scabiosa centaurioides. 
A plant new to me was that named Hieracium calendulaefolium, a 
yellow flowered Hawkweed, which is worthy of attention from those who 
take an interest in this rather “ weedy ” genus of plants. Several Asters 
were in flower, but none of particular interest, and in the present con¬ 
dition of affairs as to the nomenclature of this genus one is unwilling to 
Say much about the plants ; one, however, named A. corymbosus was 
quite distinct from that grown by Mr. Wolley Dod under that name, and 
which I have every reason to believe is correct. Mr. Wolley Dod’s plant 
is white with blackish stems, and the Manchester corymbosus is purple. 
Some Helianthuses, but not of special interest, were also in flower. A 
neat little Chrysanthemum species, C. arcticum, of somewhat slender 
habit, with pretty blush flowers, was also in flower. There seems to be 
some confusion in nurseries between C. arcticum and one sent out under 
the name of C. arctium, which latter seems of more robust habit and 
whiter in flower than the former. 
A pretty Liatris, known as L. pumila, was also in flower, and is 
worth growing by those fond of this genus, many of the plants in which 
seem very similar in appearance. L. pumila is, as it3 name would indi¬ 
cate, dwarfer in habit than the others in cultivation. Many other plants 
in or out of flower must be left unnoticed, and, as was to be expected 
at that season, there was not much in flower on the rockeries. Among 
other things were good plants of Saxifraga paradoxa (true), 8. majalis, 
and a number of others of the various sections of these pretty and 
interesting plants. Salix serpyllifolia, one of the dwarf creeping 
Willows now attracting some attention from alpine growers, was also 
in quantity, and among many other plants were Rodgersia podophylla, 
Aralia racemosa, Rhus toxicodendron, Phlox canadensis, Alyssum 
spinosum, and Anthyllis montana. In one of the houses was a fine 
plant of Symphiandra pendula in beautiful bloom, and making a good 
pot plant. In the same house was Eucomis punctata in flower. This 
is quite hardy with me, but makes a very interesting and uncommon 
plant when grown in a pot. 
In one of the houses known as the corridor, and which has to be 
cleared occasionally for flower shows, a very large number of plants of 
Francoa ramosa were planted out, and the fine spikes of this beautiful 
flower were seen to great advantage among the other plants in the fine 
structure. Several good arrangements of bedding and other plants were 
to be seen in the gardens. Unfortunately the Gladioli, as in most other 
places I saw while away, were not doing well on account of the 
unfavourable season. Of the many interesting and beautifully grown 
stove and greenhouee plants I do not feel competent to speak. It was, 
however, a great pleasure to go through the establishment with Mr. 
Paul, who is so well acquainted with the plants under his charge. The 
fernery is a most attractive part of the institution, but where there are 
so many things of interest and beauty with which I have so little 
acquaintance it will, perhaps, suffice to say that the gardens are silent 
yet effective witnesses of the skill of those in charge. Despite the 
unfavourable season, they were bright, and in the highest degree attrac¬ 
tive, and I was much surprised to learn that this noble establishment 
is not in receipt of any Government or Corporation grant. It speaks 
volumes for the energy and ability of Mr. Findlay and the manage¬ 
ment in general that the gardens are so well maintained. The people 
of Manchester have good reason to be proud of their Botanical Gardens, 
and it is to be hoped that in these days of grants for technical and 
scientific education, it will not be forgotten that this institution exists, 
and that its benefits might be extended were more pecuniary support 
•available. I have to express my thanks to Mr. Bruce Findlay and Mr. 
Paul for their great courtesy and kindness.—S. ABNOTT. 
Orchids at Tranby Croft. 
I send you a note of a few Orchids I saw at Tranby Croft on 
the 17th of this month. The most striking example in the house was 
a magnificent spike of that somewhat rare variety Cattleya aurea. 
The blooms were large and well developed ; the sepals are about 
3 inches long, and of a creamy yellow icolour ; the lip is broad, 
tipped with deep magenta, whilst the throat is a marvellous com¬ 
bination of magenta and orange stripes. It is a fine variety, and 
in my mind well worth cultivating. There were also several good 
spikes of C. insigne Maulei, Oncidium Forbesi, Laclia Perrini, 
Cattleya G-askelliana, and Cypripedium Spicerianum, whilst two 
really fine pieces of Cymbidium Mastersi and Lowi respectively 
were showing some large and healthy looking spikes. The whole 
of the plants looked extremely healthy, and showed plainly the 
careful sympathy and treatment they had received at the hands of 
Mr. Leadbetter.— Ignoramus. 
Miltonia Blunti yar. Lubbersiana. 
On September 8th last, at a meeting oLthe Royal Horticultural 
Society, Baron Schroder was awarded a first-class certificate for 
this beautiful variety of Miltonia, which is one of the best of its 
type, the flower large, the colouring rich, and the general appear¬ 
ance of the flower most striking. Concerning M. Blunti itself, of 
which this is a superior form, Mr. B. S. Williams wrote as follows : 
—“ A very distinct plant—a lovely and elegant thing, as Reichen- 
bach calls it, and which he has named after its discoverer. The 
plant was exhibited by W. Lee, E^q., Downside, Leatherhead, at 
FIG. 72.— MILTONIA BLUNTI VAR. LUBBERSIANA. 
the Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting in October, 1883. In 
growth and habit it resembles M. spectabilis, between which and 
M. Clowesi it is supposed to be a natural mule. The flowers are 
as large as those of M. spectabilis, with lanceolate acute sepals and 
oblong-lanceolate less acute petals, both creamy white, with some 
large brownish lilac or cinnamon-purple blotches chiefly in the 
centre ; the lip, which is oblong-obovate obtuse or subpandurate, 
like that of M. spectabilis, is white or pale rose with purple-violet 
stripes at the base, where there are two keels, and the short thick 
column has two large purple-violet wings.” 
