September 19, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
245 
and hybridisation—are of the highest merit. The plants are splendidly 
cultivated. Nowhere in the kingdom can the flowers named and 
numerous others be found in finer condition. One or two present 
features of the nursery are referred to. 
BEGONIAS. 
What Begonias were ten or fifteen years ago most gardeners know 
well, but there have been great changes. The Begonia of that date was 
a loose straggling plant, not too well furnished with bloom, and with a 
limited range of colour. What it is now a visit to any of the shows 
where one of the great growers is exhibiting strongly wi 1 explain far 
more eloquently than words. Messrs. Sutton have had a large share in 
the work of improvement, and their strain embraces all the points 
required in a first class Begonia—namely, dwarf, compact habit, free 
blooming, and large flowers of clear, decided, and well varied colours. 
The Begonia houses at Beading are a most striking sight just now. 
The p’ants, it should be borne in mind, are cultivated for seed, and they 
are grown in laige blocks of distinct colours. For instance, there are 
scarlet, white, rose, crimson, blush, and yellow, all exhibiting the same 
qualities of large flowers, full of colour, free blooming, and good habit. 
Those who have purchased Begonia seed by the packet, and received a 
quantity which a breath would dissipate, will be able to realise the 
demand for seed when it is said that many ounces are saved and 
distributed yearly. The plants now flowering are not much more than 
six months old, the seed having been sown in February. It is curious 
to note how the Pearcei blood shows itself amongst them. That useful 
old Begonia was the parent of the beautiful varieties seen to-day. In 
some flowers the rich colouring is so intensely concentrated that it has 
suffused the stigma, as though unable to find development in the petals. 
Here is a singular fact. A cross was effected between B. semperflorens 
gigantea carminea rosea and B. metallica, and the result of the union 
of these two fibrous-rooted varieties has been the production in one year 
of a tuberous-rooted form. 
CYCLAMENS AND PRIMULAS. 
It would not be easy to derive more pleasure from a batch of plants 
out of bloom than is gained by inspecting Messrs. Suttons’ Cyclamens, 
which are now in free growth. There are thousands of plants growing 
in such vigorous health that one could imagine this one of the easiest 
plants to cultivate ; but Cyclamens have their peculiarities, which 
bring many pergons to grief. Undoubtedly one common cause of failure, 
or of only partial success, is the necessity for growing the plants in a 
mixed house. They have likes and dislikes of their own, especially 
regarding moisture, which cannot be so carefully studied when other 
plants are grown in association with them as when they are cultivated 
alone, and unfortunately the difficulty is usually unavoidable. There 
are three well marked periods in the development of these beautiful 
plants. First there is that of root formation, secondly that of leaf 
growth, thirdly that of blooming. As the flowering period lasts several 
months no one will question the importance of building up a thoroughly 
vigorous and healthy plant to support it. Free healthy root action, 
followed by a steady unchecked development of sturdy leaf growth, are 
the forerunners of abundant blooming. Messrs. Sutton secure them all 
by a course of treatment based on long and careful study of the require¬ 
ments and peculiarities of the plants. At the present time they are in 
the perfection of health and strength, well clothed with stout foliage, 
having a spread in one batch of nearly a foot, and with abundance of 
bloom buds clustering at the base. They are saturated with moisture, 
and revel in it at this period of the year, and the atmosphere of the 
house is of that genial, pleasant humidity so agreeable both to men and 
plants. The seed was sown in November. Primulas are making healthy 
growth in pits. Nothing could look more thriving and comfortable 
than they. 
GE3NERA ZEBRINA DISCOLOR. 
This useful plant well deserves a note. It is valuable from its 
blooming in late autumn. Plants at Reading are just coming into 
flower, but will not be at their best for some time yet. The attractive¬ 
ness of the plant consists in its large, handsome, velvety, heart-shaped 
leaves as much as in the flowers, pleasing though the latter are. They 
are borne well above the foliage, and are vermilion or bright scarlet in 
colour, the throat dotted with white. This Gesnera is of easy culture. 
It may be readily raised from seed. Messrs. Sutton sow in February, 
and the plants come into bloom the following year. They are growing 
in 6-inch pots, and such handsome specimens arc of much value for 
decoration in the dull season. 
CLIANTHUS DAMPIERI. 
I refer to this plant to note a curious instance of its capricious 
character. Some seeds were sown in heat in February, and the plants 
put out on a sunny border in May. Though the plant had repeatedly 
caused disappointment before, it now grew vigorously and rapidly, one 
developing into a grand specimen a yard or more through, well furnished 
with flower spikes. With a large number of its rich red flowers, con¬ 
spicuously centred with black, open at once, it was an undeniably fine and 
striking object. But more curious still, a little seed was sown out of 
doors on the same border in May ; the plants grew freely, and are now 
blooming profusely, although they have not, of course, attained any¬ 
thing like the dimensions of the fine specimen referred to. Many 
have failed to grow and flower this plant well after devoting the utmost 
c are to it. Here is an example of what it will do when practically left 
to itself. It is probable that the extremely hot and dry weather in 
early summer suited it. 
It is not possible in a few hasty notes taken when other work was 
waiting to be done to exhaust the features of interest in Messrs. Suttons’ 
admirably managed seed grounds; but it may be added that another 
extensive trial of Tomatoes is being conducted, and the quarter devoted 
to them is a marvellous sight. The plants are grown about 9 inches 
apart, and trained to strong stakes 3-J feet high. The fruit com¬ 
menced colouring on August 7th, and the plants are now loaded with 
ripe and ripening fruit. Among a large number of varieties Earliest 
of All and Perfection are conspicuously excellent. There is also a 
trial of Melons, and if a better variety than Hero of Lockinge is 
found there will be something to be proud of. About an acre of 
Asters are being grown in separate blocks of some hundred plants 
each, producing a very fine and diversified effect. They range from 
6 inches to 1 \ foot in height. The seed was sown out of doors at the 
end of April. Phloxes and many other attractive flowers are also 
largely grown, indeed both indoors and out this seed-saving establish¬ 
ment is full of interest and beauty.—W. P. W. 
Events of the Week. —The Manchester Royal Botanical and 
Horticultural Society will hold an Exhibition of fruit and flowers on 
Friday and Saturday, September 20th and 21st. The Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society’s Vegetable Conference will be held in the gardens at 
Chiswick on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, September 24th, 25th‘ 
and 26th, the Fruit and Floral Committees meeting on the first day at 
11 A.M. A gardeners’ dinner will be held at the Cannon Street Hotel 
on the evening of September 24th, at 6 p.h., Mr. H. J. Veitch in the 
chair. Tickets can be had from Mr. A. F. Barron. 
- The Weather. —A period of clear bright weather has ren¬ 
dered the past week most agreeable, but it has led to what many 
expected—an early frost, which, on the morning of Tuesday last 
blackened the Dahlias in numerous gardens. Mr. E. Mawley recorded 
6° on the grass at Berkhampstead, and this would almost seem to cor¬ 
roborate one statement that 9° had been registered at Slough, though 
that appeared incredibly severe. Mr. John Doughty, The Gardens, 
Angley Park, Cranbrook, Kent, writes :—“ We had a very severe frost 
on September 17th ; ice thicker than a penny was found in the green¬ 
house gutter. Chrysanthemum leaves were frozen to each other ; they 
were syringed, and thin pieces of paper laid over the buds until thawed, 
but I fear it has done them great damage.” Mr. T. Laxton also writes 
from Bedford, “A sharp frost here last night (September 16 th), the 
first of the season. Cucumbers much cut, Marrows slightly ; Dahlias, 
Runner Beans, and Tomatoes do not appear to have suffered.” In the 
neighbourhood of London Vegetable Marrows, Beans, Tomatoes, and 
Dahlias have been injured or destroyed in many gardens. 
_National Vegetable Conference and Exhibition, 
Chiswick, September 24th, 25th, and 26th. —This promises to 
be a specially interesting meeting, entries of exhibits having been 
received from all parts of the country. Scotland and Wales will be 
well represented. We also learn that M. Vilmorin of Paris will be 
present with a large number of exhibits, and consignments from 
America are also expected. We may remind our readers that the 
entries close on the 21st, and that those who have not given notice 
should do so at once. 
-We are desired to state that the Collection of Orchids 
formed by the late Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, at Lamorran, Corn¬ 
wall, will be sold by auction on the premises on October 3rd. 
- Rats in Gardens.—“ L. K.” would be very glad to know if 
there is any way of getting rid of rats that infest a garden, and are to 
be seen in broad daylight eating the Peas, &c. Poison has been tried, 
phosphoric paste, and other things. Though the poison disappears, the 
rats are just as numerous. They will not go into any traps. 
- The Kew Bulletin for September contains articles on “ The 
Flowers of Calligonum polygonoides as an Article of Food in N.W. India.” 
Coca, Buaze fibre (Securidaca longipedunculata), vegetable produc¬ 
tions from Central China, Vine cultivation in the Gironde, and Phyl¬ 
loxera in South Africa are also treated upon in several letters and notes. 
