July 0, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
17 
bulbs, for hardy it is if planted in the right position in rich 
vegetable soil. Thorough drainage is essential, and yet a cool 
moist position, and the bulbs should be placed a good depth 
beneath the surface so as to be quite clear of severe frosts, say 
6 inches deep, and it dislikes being often disturbed, but may 
remain some years in the same position before it shows signs of 
deterioration. 
TroPjEOLUM polyphyllum. —This is one of the finest hardy 
plants possible to cultivation, with its long trailing shoots of 
pretty glaucous foliage, and very numerous axillary golden 
yellow Mowers, it forms veritable wreaths of gold decorated with 
silver In a light sandy well-drained soil it does wonders. I 
have repeatedly proved this in a small way, but when a few 
days ago I called at Messrs. Backhouse’s nursery at York, 
and a large bed was shown me crowded to excess, I was 
more than convinced of the right position for it—revelling in 
the greatest luxuriance it, by this, doubtless forms a unique 
picture. It is certainly a plant which all gardeners should 
try to accommodate, as am sure it would satisfy most persons. 
Double Rockets. —1 have four varieties of these most use¬ 
ful and showy flowers—the French and Scotch whites, a purple 
and a .pink, or rose ; the last is very beautiful, double, forming 
immense spikes of flowers, but I be ieve comparatively scarce. 
Mine were picked up in the suburbs of Manchester, where it 
is greatly appreciated. The French white is very free-growing, 
but the spikes are rather lax and the colour faulty, being heavily 
tinged with purple; nevertheless it is a good garden flower. 
The Scotch is an excellent variety, forming dense spikes of pure 
white very full flowers, but it is not so free as the last, neither 
does it seem happy in many places south of the Tweed. As 
soon as flowering the stem must be cut down to induce young 
growth for cuttings. The purple and pink are both very good 
and showy, and a good plan to adopt after flowering is to peg 
the stems down to the soil, make a few cuts at the strongest 
joints on the side next the soil, and cover with a little sandy 
rich compost. Cuttings will be freely produced, which may be 
removed later on, often with nice roots, inserted in a cold frame, 
and a good stock of young plants will be produced. 
Alpine Pinks. —These are a very charming series by what¬ 
ever name they are known. I am referring to Dianthus alpinus 
and its numerous variations Certainly there is a great diffe¬ 
rence between what is considered as typical D. alpinus and 
what is usually distributed as D. glacialis. From a gardening 
point of view the latter is by far the best, but its life is 
short, and after flowering it frequently dies* Seedlings from 
D. alpinus vary greatly; in some the leaves are much narrower 
than in others, and the flowers vary in colour and height. There 
is no doubt these pinks are given to cross-breeding ; that they 
will do so Mr. Lindsay of the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens has 
proved, for he crossed D. alpinus with D. barbatus, and I have 
now in my garden one of this hybrid flowering pretty freely, 
with the growth and individual flowers of alpinus, but the habit 
of D. barbatus is clear enough, as the flowers are borne in an 
umbel nearly a foot high, it is certainly a very pretty plant. 
Whether the alpine Pinks known in gardens as D. alpinus, 
neglectus, or glacialis, are finally recognised as only alpines I 
care not, but shall always endeavour to cultivate as great a 
variety of them as possible. That known as glacialis is by far 
the showiest, as I have before said, producing dense masses of 
its rich flowers in well-drained sunny fissures of the rockery, 
and with plenty of sand in the otherwise rich loamy soil.—T. 
HORTICULTURAL ARGUMENTS. 
Much information may be derived by your readers from the 
discussions that from time to time arise and flourish for a while 
in your Journal, but there is occasionally a spice of personality 
cropping up in some of the discussions that takes away consider¬ 
ably from the pleasure and profit of perusal. No one will assert, 
with any show of sound reason, that discussions cannot be pi'O- 
longed without the indulgence in personalities which too often 
take place. Gardeners as a class are labouring for the advance¬ 
ment of horticulture quite irrespective of personal advantage, 
either as regards mere pecuniary reward, or, what is more evan¬ 
escent, a slight advantage in a wordy war. 
Motives other than the elucidation of questions affecting the 
progress and welfare of gardening should not prompt anyone to 
seize the pen and rush into print. That such is not always the 
case is to be regretted, and the hope may be expressed that with 
the increased circulation, and consequently increased power of 
the gardening press, there may come an even more friendly and en¬ 
tirely impersonal manner of conducting horticultural arguments. 
It will always be found that no harm can be done by treating 
others in a spirit of fair play and honourable rivalry, a rivalry not 
prompted by personal feelings of jealousy or animosity, but 
born of the desire to bring to light some new theory, elaborate 
some apparently valuable idea, or record in the fullest and best 
manner the success or failure of some particular mode of 
practice. 
Younw writers are too often prompted to attempt smartness 
at the risk of becoming personal. Such should be strictly 
guarded against. Others there are, who are no novices with 
the pen, and yet are sometimes found indulging in what can 
only be described as personal attacks. All who wish that Horti¬ 
culture should be maintained in all its aspects at as high a 
position as possible, will, I feel sure, re echo the expression of 
the hope that soon personalities in horticultural discussions will 
be conspicuous by their absence.— Scotus. 
THE AURICULA ELECTION. 
As noted last week, the general remarks accompanying the voters’ 
returns in many instances contain many interesting remarks, and they are 
given below. 
The Rev. F. D. Horner writes:—“ Since the last general election, which 
I tabulated in the * Florist and Pomologist ’ (Dec. 1876, to Feb, 1877), very 
few new Auriculas have come into distribution, through many are yet in the 
hands of the various raisers. When the best new seedlings appear, the 
old flowers will be mostly surpassed. OE those that were 1 old ’ in 1876 
there remain two green-edged (Prince and Colonel), two greys (Light- 
body and Hero). No white edges and no seifs are able to hold their 
own against the new flowers in their respective classes.” 
The Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain says :—“ There are some which have been 
omitted, and which are perhaps better than some named, but it is impos¬ 
sible to get them, and when obtained difficult to keep, such as Page’s 
Champion and Booth’s Freedom. Others, such as Conservative, although 
first-rate varieties, are too high-priced to recommend to beginners, for 
whom this list is intended to be a guide.” 
Mr. J. T. D. Llewelyn thus speaks of Heroine (Horner) :—“ Few 
Auriculas have pleased me more than the Rev. F. D. Homer’s Heroine 
(self).” 
Mr. Douglas writes :—“ The above are the best that are to be obtained 
at present in the usual way through the trade. I have left out Freedom 
and Champion in green edges because of the great difficulty in growing 
them. Silvia is more a grey than a white, and has been placed in the 
grey-edged class. Sapphire I would put in the seifs, but am not aware 
that it has been let out.” 
The following is from Mr. Henwood (Reading) :—“ Among seedlings 
not yet obtainable are Horner’s Monarch (green edge), far and away the 
best green yet shown. Horner’s Heroine, a glorious flower far in advance 
of any other self. Brockbank’s Wm. Brockbank, a superb grey that is 
bound to make its mark. Brockbank’s Lord Rosebery, a grand self. 
Mellor’s Reliance, one of the best white-edged varieties yet staged. 
Mellor’s Mrs. Heap, a lovely blue self, rather small, but oE splendid form. 
There are many other good seedlings that must ultimately displace some 
of the good old sorts. But still the good old sorts need not fear, for 
judging from present appearances we young exhibitors shall be grey¬ 
headed before some of the grand seedlings are in commerce.” 
Mr. Richard Gorton states “ Were a number of the well-known 
new varieties allowed to be classed in the list a great change would result. 
Horner’s Heroine is certainly at the top of the tree in seifs, and his Grey¬ 
hound would also be in the first three in greys ; Simonite’s F. D. 
Horner would be high up, and his Heather Bell would be placed second or 
third also in the white edges.” 
Mr. C. M. Royds (Rochdale) says :—“ Seedlings in all classes of much 
quality are now being exhibited, and will supersede many of the old 
varieties, but our old friends must not be neglected.” 
Mr. Bolton favours with the following note :—“ I have given the 
varieties only in commerce, but my opinion is that several of those named 
are surpassed by seedlings, notably in seifs by Heroine (Horner), which I 
consider the best self raised ; and in the other classes Mr. Horner has 
seedlings that well deserve to be placed in the best six. Mr. Douglas, 
Mr. B. Simonite, Miss Woodhead, and S. Barlow, Esq., have also some 
very good seedlings, which, when in commerce, will hold a place in a good 
twelve, if ever they are so fortunate as to be distributed.” 
Mr. Ben Simonite makes no remarks anent seedlings, which are not 
sent out; but adds that the Rev. F. D. Horner and himself “ have seed¬ 
lings which would upset the list given.” He preferred, however, that 
these should win their way, and stand on their own basis. 
Mr. H. White (T. E. Hay, gardener) writes as follows :—“ The 
improvement in Auriculas is steadily going forward, the Rev. F. D. 
Horner, Mr. Douglas, and Mr. Simonite being especially successful in 
raising new varieties. In green edges Simonite’s Rev. F. D. Horner (not 
in commerce), I consider the best, and in grey edges, Greyhound, raised 
by Rev. F. D. Homer, is second only to George Lightbody, which I 
think is the most perfect Auiicu'a we have. In white edges Rev. F. D. 
Homer’s Luna, Magpie, and Miranda are the best I know of not in com¬ 
merce, and in seifs Rev. F. D. Horner’s Heroine is a long way in front of 
anything yet raised.” 
Mr. R. Dean confines his selection to what he has grown of flower* 
known to be in commerce. His simple aim was to give a selection of 
good standard useful varieties that can be obtained by anyone desirous of 
commencing to grow Auriculas. 
