242 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 21, 1889. 
with another piece. To those persons who have not had experience in 
breakdowns of this sort, and consequently do not know the best means 
to adopt for temporarily repairing the damage, so that forcing operations 
may not be interfered with, I will describe the method I have seen 
answer in stopping a leak. 
Over the cracked part of the pipe spread some white lead, not too 
thin ; then bind some rough string or rope partly unravelled round the 
pipe tightly. The white lead fills the'spaces between each binding of 
string. Over the whole spread more white lead, and repeat the binding. 
Then with some loose bricks proceed to make a box-like space around 
the damaged pipe, allowing a clear three-inch space all.round. If the 
top pipe in the trench for the mains is the faulty one, and the pipes are 
laid one above another, as the mains often are, fill up the bottom of the 
trench to the desired height with sand. Proceed then to fill up the 
space about the pipe, and to the same depth above the crack, with 
cement worked up with water to the consistency of mortar. This will 
stop the leak, so that the removal of the damaged pipe can be delayed 
for a time.—S. H. 
AMARYLLISES AT HOME. 
“ True Amaryllises,” I have somewhere read,' “ only grow in late 
autumn and through the winter in Europe, while Hippeastrums are 
under the gardener’s control and may be managed to grow at different 
periods.” 
If this be so, it is clear that the heading to these notes is a mis¬ 
nomer, for the plants of which I wish to speak have not grown 
through the autumn rnd winter. During the dull dark days they 
have been at rest, and it is only at the approach of spring that they 
have been taken in band and “ managed to grow,” so as to yield their 
harvest of bloom in the joyous springtide. But Amaryllises or Hip¬ 
peastrums—what does it matter ? As Amaryllises they are grown in 
unequalled numbers, variety, and beauty in Messrs. Yeitch’s great nur¬ 
sery at Chelsea ; as Amaryllises they are there inspected and admired 
by thousands of persons, and as Amaryllises they are cultivated in 
the majority of gardens that are enriched by thesb noble and striking 
flowers. 
Then Amaryllises “ at home.” Well, some weakness might be found 
in the phrase were it dissected, inasmuch as I do not speak of the plants 
as they grow in their native habitats. But in truth no one can visit 
Veitch’s and inspect the forest of sturdy spikes surmounted by their 
burden of glorious flowers without thinking that here indeed the word 
is not misapplied. A home, both comfortable and congenial, the plants 
enjoy. Root and leaf and flower alike speak of it. It is apparent in 
the great stout bulbs, in the thick substantial leaves, in the vigorous 
stems, and, above all, in the glistening splendour of the noble blooms 
which rise in thousands above them. How many there really are I 
cannot say, but there are 1800 spikes, and all have two or more flowers, 
some ten or twelve. Here is one indication of the march of improve¬ 
ment in one of the most beautiful of spring flowers. I believe it is 
about twelve years since Messrs. Yeitch first turned their serious atten¬ 
tion to the Amaryllises, and it would be well Within the mark to say 
that the varieties of to-day yield on an average six times as many blooms 
as those of a decade ago. 
And in thus making comparisons we are led involuntarily to one of 
the most interesting features of an inspection of a really great collection 
—great, that is, in numbers, diversity, and excellence. We can view the 
new and the old side by side, and note the points of difference between 
them. Here we have the new-born beauty, spreading its petals for the 
first time in the light of day; there the comparatively new ; and again 
the veteran of three or four summers. At each development there is a 
decided step in advance. Size, form, colour, all show the hall-mark of 
the skilled hybridiser. Some day perfection will be reached. What 
perfection in Amaryllises really is may, however, be a debatable point. 
Undoubtedly there are some who will not hesitate to say that it is 
attained this year, for there has been no more marked step in advance 
than the novelties of 1889 afford. Unusually rich in the number of 
improved varieties, this year’s seedlings moreover comprise one or two 
of almost sensational excellence. One cross—surely the happiest that 
the hybridiser has ever effected—has yielded two varieties, either of 
which would stamp the novelties of this year as well above the average. 
One is named Optima, the other The Champion. The latter was the 
first to open, and its magnificent flowers, 8 to 9 inches across, perfect in 
shape, with great breadth and substance, and of fine colour —bri'- 
liant red, marked it as a rare acquisition, and it was named accord 
ingly. But there was better to follow. Optima opened a little later, 
and The Champion was champion in name only. Optima is considered 
by some good judges who have already seen it to be the most striking 
and magnificent Amaryllis yet raised, and it attracts instant attention 
even amongst the many varieties of high merit that surround it. The 
blooms are enormous, 9 to 10 inches across ; the segments, which are well 
rounded and overlapping, giving the flower a shapely appearance, 
4 inches in diameter, the colour deep lustrous red or scarlet, shaded 
crimson. These beautiful varieties are the result of a cross between 
Niobeand Colonel Burnaby, and are related through Empress of India 
to Leopoldi. 
Amongst the novelties of merit 1 will mention the following: — 
Mercade, small, shapely bloom, white streaked with red ; Admirable, 
beautiful light red, throat deeper, well formed flower; Lustrous, fine 
deep red, medium size : Plutarch, deep red, clearly barred >vilb white, 
very handsome and fine ; Miralella, white, exquisitely flaked or streaked 
with red, giving the bloom a distinct and pleasing marbled appearance; 
John Ruskin, certificated last week and described in the Journal of March 
14th ; Conquest, very large and fine, brilliant red, shaded crimson, very 
rich and striking ; Omphale, light red, flaked crimson, fine ; Incarus, 
light brick red, barred white, medium size ; Nicon, white, with deep 
flakes shading off to a paler edge ; Asmodie, small pointed petals, white 
deeply streaked with red, neat and pretty ; Overbock, medium size, deep 
crimson, shaded purplish red, very handsome ; Felicia, white, marbled 
with red, good shape; Haydn, small well formed flower, crimson, 
shaded purple, distinct and effective ; and Dumas, light red. All these 
varieties will bear close inspection, and some are decided acquisitions. 
Of the older sorts that deserve notice may be instanced Robin Hool, 
Ne Plus Ultra (once considered the best, but now a long way in the 
rear), Julius, Plato, Finette, Bellona, Junius, Paulina, Correggio, Miss 
Roberts, Orb, Meteor, Princess Ida, Clarinda, and Favourite. The latter 
I would specially mention. It is a cross between one of the Leopoldi 
section and the winter flowering variety Autumn Beauty. The bloom 
is small and very neat in form, but the colour is the most striking part; 
it is a beautiful rich carmine, with a central bar of white, and is alto¬ 
gether softer and more refined than that of any other variety grown. 
If this refinement of tint could be transferred to the larger varieties 
an enormous stride would be made, and it is to be hoped that it 
will form the groundwork of future operations with that view. Optima 
and The Champion may well mark the resting place as regards size and 
massiveness, for it woull be quite possible to have Amaryllises too large. 
What is now wanted is refinement of colour. Fragrance is perhaps too 
much to hope for.—W. P. W. 
PLANTS FOR GROWING UNDER TREES. 
Having a large piece of ground very much like that described by 
“ C. T. B.”— i.e., shaded by Sycamores and Limes, I venture to suggest 
a few varieties of plants besides those already named, which we planted 
there about four years ago, and which have succeeded very well—viz., 
Lychnis cha’cedonica, IJeracleum giganteum, Anchusa italica, Spirmas 
of sorts, Foxgloves, the wild Campanula, the common yellow Flag Iris, 
Honesty, and Doronicum caucasicum (Leopard’s Bane). The latter 
grows wild in some of our woods, and with a little cultivation and care 
it soon improves in size of flowers and height, reaching to 3 or 4 feet. 
Amongst dwarfer plants the following flourish well:—Pheasant Eye 
Narcissus, common white Pink, and Forget-me-nots The Leopard’s 
Bane I cannot speak too highly of as an herbaceous plant for all situa¬ 
tions (sunny or shady), blooming as it does from May till August.— 
M. W. A., Northumberland. 
EVENING NOTES. 
As a journeyman I am pleased to see our brother members of the 
blue apron fraternity practising as well as preaching. Considering the 
large number of young gardeners there are in the country, surely some 
will be forthcoming with their remarks. I hope the increasing popu¬ 
larity of the “Evening Notes” column will be an encouragement to 
them, and that more will follow the example so well set by “Journey¬ 
man.” _ 
Watering a Vine Border with Liquid Manure. —It may be 
of interest to your correspondent “ Handy Andy ” to know that it is 
not at all unusual for ammonia to act on the wood ivork of a house in 
the manner he describes. I have many times noticed it, but have 
certainly never found any difficulty in removing it with the syringe if 
attended to immediately. The action of the ammonia on the paint is 
lessened considerably if a little air be on during the watering operation, 
and care be taken to keep the liquor off the hot pipes to prevent the 
creation of steam. Contrary to “ Handy Andy,” I am of opinion that 
the vapour from stale manure water through exposure in a tub would 
not act so powerfully on the woodwork as that fresh pumped from an 
airtight cistern. At least such is our experience. Like your corre¬ 
spondent I should be interested to know, from a scientific point of view, 
why the ammonia acts in such a manner on paint and metal. He 
omitted to state what kind of liquid manure was used. I might add 
that here it consists of general farmyard sewage. 
Euphorbia jacquini.eflora.— Though so largely grown, this old 
favourite is seldom seen to the best advantage. After shifting them 
into their flowering pots, which should not exceed the size known as 
32’s, we stand the plants in a row alongside the pipes in a span-roof 
stove, training the shoots straight up the trellis. This causes the plants 
to produce shoots freely at and below the bend made by bringing the 
leader to the wire. These are in turn tied in, the result being that by 
the time the flowering season commences the trellis is covered with 
healthy shoots that bloom at every point, having a very pleasing effect, 
the wreaths of flowers being allowed to hang down that they may be 
able to display their beauty to the fullest extent. Ours have carried a 
profusion of bloom for the last five months, and are not yet exhausted, 
many of the shoots from which the first bracts were cut having broken 
into growth, producing flowers which, though smaller, are not the less 
useful. Our longest shoot measured 8 feet in length from the top of the 
pot, but there was very little difference in any of the plants in that 
respect. By way of a note I may say that a few in 24’s did not 
