48 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 16, 1885. 
flowers profusely. It was introduced, from the Rocky Mountains by Mr. 
Drummond. 
P. Richardson!, shown in the illustration, fig. 8, was named in 
honour of the celebrated Arctic explorer, Dr. Richardson, who found it 
growing near Great Bear Lake about the year 1826. The general appear¬ 
ance of its flowers reminds us much of our common P. cceruleum, and in 
the “ Linn. Transact,” 14, p. 377, it was quoted as a variety under the 
name of P. cceruleum var. nanum, Hook, from specimens gathered by 
Captain Sabine in Spitzbergen. For all garden purposes, however, its 
neat dwarf habit well entitles it to specific distinction, incorporating in 
one plant, as it were, the large flowers of the common Jacob’s Ladder with 
the neat habit of the foregoing. It is an extremely valuable plant for 
rockery decoration in the late summer and autumn months when well 
established, which it readily does in well-drained sunny positions, it forms 
quite a pleasing feature. It throws up angular hairy stems, branched 
almost from the base; leaves pinnate ; leaflets more round than oval, 
quite downy underneath; the flowers are pale purple, thickly marked 
with deeper coloured lines. It flowers July and October. 
The illustration was prepared from a specimen furnished us by Mr. 
T. S. Ware of Tottenham, who has shown the plant extremely well at 
Kensington this year, and was awarded a first-class certificate for it a 
short time since.—M. S. 
GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT TREES. 
Having read the timely remarks of your correspondent, Mr. Bardney, 
respecting the spring stopping of the Gooseberry and Currant trees, I 
was in hopes he would have gone farther and treated the subject more 
fully as to the training and the protecting from birds. I agree with him 
as to stopping the literal shoots, but I leave the point, as if that is stopped 
they throw more lateral growths and weaken the buds for next year’s 
fruit. 
I have read of a gentleman saying he always had to preserve his fruits 
twice before he could eat them. If we wish to have a good supply and 
good fruits of Gooseberries and Currants we must preserve them five times 
before we eat them. First we have to preserve the buds from the birds 
in the winter ; second, the bloom from frost, beetles, &c.; third, the leaves 
from insects, caterpillars; and fourth, the fruit from birds, bees, wasps, 
and then grit splashed by the rain, &c. 
To guard against all these, and to save time and trouble in watching 
and stopping them, I would propose to train them either as single speci¬ 
mens or on a trellis or espalier. The trellis I would recommend would 
be a double one, in the form of the letter V, from 4 to 6 feet high, and 
planted each side and trained from 6 to 8 inches apart upright. By so 
doing they could easily be protected from birds, frosts, &c., by putting a 
net or mats over them, and while growing they would be readily stopped, 
examined, and thinned for kitchen use. The leaves infested with cater¬ 
pillars can be picked off before they have left the leaf the eggs are depo¬ 
sited on. 
If grown as single trees they should be trained in shape of a teacup or 
goblet, and the centre kept open to allow the air to get to them and the 
sun to ripen the buds for next year’s crop. Carefully protect the buds 
from the birds by netting them in winter and early spring ; also from 
frost, and watch and pick the caterpillars off before they spread over the 
tree. Thin the fruit as soon as large enough for bottling green or for the 
kitchen, and stop all lateral growths not required for training up the 
wires. Fork the ground, dusting once or twice with lime or soot, and 
mulching well with good manure in the winter, watering the trees in the 
growing season with liquid manure. We should then soon hear less about 
the trees not bearing or being without leaves, and there would be no more 
complaints from the cook about having no Gooseberries or Currants for 
preserving.—G. E., Warwickshire. 
GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
Hydrangea Thomas Hogg. —I scarcely know a finer plant than this 
for a cool greenhouse. Easily managed, if well fed producing large 
trusses of white flowers, which look distinct ; and visitors say, “ What is 
that ?” . It is so delightful to have plants in greenhouse and garden anent 
which visitors have to interrogate. If this plant is well fed it thrives re¬ 
markably, for my plant is in a small 48-pot, and it has three good trusses 
of flowers, and not more than 1 foot high. I can imagine how fine a large 
specimen would look in many of our greenhouses and conservatories, but 
we seldom see it. I am sure many an amateur would find this an 
excellent plant to grow for greenhouses without any artificial heat. 
Hyacinthus candicans. — Some bulbs of this noble “ jacinth” 
were potted up pretty early and stood in the greenhouse, and they have 
been in excellent condition. Some of the spikes are forwarder than 
others, but on the whole they present a very unique and effective appear¬ 
ance ; the hold foliage, tall spikes of white waxy-looking bells, so pure 
under glass that they may be used for any purpose. The stamens are not 
so conspicuous under glass as outside. I think it is Mr. Kelway of Lang- 
P_°rt who strongly recommends this plant for forcing. Well done, Mr. 
Kelway, but I rather regret your advice is not followed in half as many 
instances as it might be with the greatest advantage and best results. 
WeigelA houtensis nivea is just going past, and I am sorry to 
lose so sweet and chaste a flower, but it has done admirably. The small 
bushes in 7-inch pots have been covered with pretty trusses of pure white 
Mock Oringe-like blossoms, which, though rather thin in texture, are 
nevertheless extremely useful and effective when cut, especially for vase 
decoration. It is just coming into flower outside, and looks very neat, and 
a capital shrub for any border. 1 was told the other day that the demand 
for this plant is greatly on the increase for forcing ; and well it may be, 
for when once grown it will, I should imagine, always be employed. 
Oxalis lactiflora. —A pretty little Sorrel, with deep green leaves and 
numerous milky white flowers about the size of a shilling. Dwarf and 
spreading, indeed slightly trailing in habit, I wish to recommend it for 
fringing the margins of the side stage, grown in pots or pans. Its habit 
is so suitable that it may be most effectively used for this purpose with 
Isolepis and Selaginella Kraussiana or other plants. It affords a striking 
contrast to most other plants useful for that purpose, while its own pretty 
white flowers springing from a bed of deep green are extremely effective. 
I feel quite sure it is a plant which would please the majority of flower- 
lovers. 
Littonia Keetii.— This is a very handsome and interesting plant, 
climbing by means of tendrils at the ends of the leaves, similar to what 
occurs in Gloriosa superba—a close relation, by the way. The flowers are 
solitary from the axils of the leaves, bell-shaped, with lanceolate 
divisions, of a clear orange colour, and lasting a long time in its pure 
beauty, and by the appearance of the growing shoots there are a large 
number of flowers to develope, so we will enjoy the pretty though not 
gorgeous flowers for some time. For training round a pillar it is an ex¬ 
cellent plant, or a small trellis can be arranged in the pot, but it certainly 
looks best the other way. It requires good drainage and a free rich soil 
of fibrous peat, loam, loaf soil, and sand in equal proportions. I am not 
sure whether this is distinct from the older L. modesta. 
Forced Liliuhs. —I use the term “ forced ” because my plants have 
really been slightly stimulated, as the kinds now mentioned are not in 
flower out of doors yet. First there is the old Madonna Lily—L. candi- 
dum—than which none are sweeter and purer. The bulbs were potted in 
September and stood in a cold frame until the roots were well in action, 
when they were carried to the greenhouse, and the first flowers opened 
early in June. So much admired have they been that many good friends 
say they will attempt their culture in this direction in future, and no 
doubt they will succeed equally well, providing of course good strong bulbs 
are had to start with. L. eximium and Harrisi are also in flower with 
their large trumpet-shaped pure white perianths, sweetly scented, and 
right noble in appearance ; they are kinds which must come to the front 
for greenhouse decoration. The brilliant little L. tenuifolium is just 
over, hut its intense scarlet turbans have been much admired. L. 
auratum will speedily open some of its great buds to the June sunlight, 
and truly it is the “ queen of Lilies,” and one need not he without flowers 
of it from this time till at least the end of October if small lots of bulb3 
are bought at different times during the importing season. According to 
my experience much has been written of little value anent the root-action 
of this Lily. I have seen an abundance of stem roots, and encouraged 
them to the fullest extent, even though there have been incontestably fine 
bulbs well furnished with roots at the base. There is no doubt stem roots 
are produced in Japan. I have repeatedly removed them from amongst 
the scales of imported bulbs as their shirts of clay were cleared off ; and 
last year I examined some insignificant home - grown examples, some 
measuring 18 inches round, with plenty of basal roots, and the base of 
the stem was matted with other roots. 
The New Zealand Clematis (C. indivisalobata).—This gave us quite 
a wealth of white flowers very early in the year, is now growing 
luxuriantly. Last season’s wood has been removed and the young put in 
its place. The plant is receiving plenty of liquid manure—real good 
stuff in my opinion ; it is stable drainage, and evidently the plant likes it. 
Those possessing this Clematis should bear in mind the necessity of 
securing strong wood every season, for from the current growth next 
season’s flowers will be produced. No cool greenhouse should be without 
this extremely floriferous and handsome flower. 
Diplacus glutinostjs is an old plant in our gardens, not quite hardy, 
but very suitable for a cool house. Shrubby at the base, it flowers freely 
from the young growth, producing orange Mimulus-like blossoms for a 
considerable time, and as easily managed as a Zonal Pelargonium. There 
is nothing very showy about this plant ; nevertheless, it is one which is 
honestly worth growing.—T. 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
WIMBLEDON. —July 8th. 
An admirably arranged schedule, comprising upwards of eighty classes, 
with special prizes in no less than thirty-one additional classes, a beautiful 
position—the grounds of Mrs. Schuster, Car.nizaro House—a district of 
good gardeners and active amateurs, Wimbledon ought to produce a good 
show. The Exhibition, which can only have brief notice, was held in three 
marquees, and beyond doubt every one contained products eminently 
worthy of inspection. The specimen plants were not of elephantine dimen¬ 
sions, but the majority were well grown. Ferns were particularly good, 
Roses and other cut flowers both numerous and attractive, fruit excellent, 
and vegetables very satisfactory. The groups of plants arranged for 
effect commanded primary attention in the large tent. In the open-to-all 
class, the arrangement occupying 106 square feet, the first prize was won 
by Mr. Wilkinson, gardener to Mrs. Schuster, with a well balanced assort¬ 
ment of healthy examples, vigorous spikes of Gladiolus brenchleyensis 
rising effectively above Palms,"_Caladiums, <fcc., while the margin was par 
