486 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ .Tune 12, 1890. 
sufTcrer to the same extent (if at all), as he who has houses heated to 
stove temperature, and who may perchance come in contact with the 
plant while his body was thus temporarily over-heated, for then it is, I 
feel sure, that the evil ensues. For nearly six weeks at a time have I 
been a sufferer from what for want of a name 1 had called “ my 
disease,” and for a whole week together hardly closed my eyes in sleep, 
from the fact that the irritation and inflammation was always accelerated 
with increased warmth of the body. Local doctors as usual asserted 
that the “ system was out of order, &c.,” but all their physic and 
advice made not the slightest improvement in this respect, and at length 
one candidly told me he could not understand it in the least. The 
symptoms briefly were—first, swelling of the fingers, followed closely 
by unusual redness of the skin, during which stage the irritation seemed 
at its highest, this was also succeeded by numerous small watery 
pustules on all the affected parts. Fifteen months ago, when suffering 
from the worst attack I have had, and being tired of consulting local 
doctors, I betook myself to one of the Loudon hospitals for skin 
diseases. Here I was subjected to a minute examination of all the 
parts affected, and after some forty minutes the disease was classified 
under erythema, but all the doctors present did not agree on account 
of some of the characteristics of this family being absent in my case. 
About that time I noticed some references in the horticultural press con¬ 
cerning this Primula, and comparing the symptoms then expressed with 
my own case, found they agreed exactly, and at length I was so con¬ 
vinced that I gave up handling the Primula altogether. 
The result is this, that when I keep fr^m the plant I am free from 
the disease. Some readers may wonder why I have not communicated 
these facts sooner, and my reply is that I did not desire to speak till I 
felt I could do so authoritatively, and the foPowing is the result of a 
careful investigation ever since I made the acquaintance of the plant in 
question. This was in the summer of 1883, and I had my first attack 
simultaneously. The local physician regarded it as a species of urtics, 
but nothing he gave me afforded any relief. This occurred in Notting¬ 
ham, which locality I left the following year. For two years after 1 
did not grow this Primula, and was quite free from disease, but during 
the past four years I have grown it largely, and suffered largely too. Of 
late I have taken particular notice if I chanced to touch a leaf or stem, 
and if I did the irritation would of a surety appear within twelve 
hours. Since the opening of the present year I have twice touched this 
Primula, once experimentally and once accidentally, and in each case 
the disease appeared during the evening of the same day, and I now 
admire the plant at a safe distance. I may remark that none of my 
men suffer in the same way as myself from touching this plant, a fact 
which has caused me to weigh very carefully every atom of evidence. 
Happily, however, my visits to the above named hospital were produc¬ 
tive of good, for they gave me f.n ointment which considerably lessens 
the irritation and consequent inflammation. 
Had 1 been aware earlier of what was causing the mischief I might 
sooner have found relief. At first, however, I was for weeks the reverse 
of irnproved under the hospital treatment, and I can only attribute my 
continued suffering to constantly handling the plant, ignorant of the 
consequences. In conclusion I can only add that anyone having this 
plant and suffering from the symptoms I have expressed will do well 
to avoid cont.act with it and note the results. Anyone may have the 
recipe for the ointment by enclosing stamped addressed envelope 
through the Eilitor.—J. H. E. ^ 
USEFUL PLANTS FOR BEDDING. 
The form and style of bedding and the plants employed vary in 
different parts of the country owing to the nature of the soil and 
climatic condition of the localities, and to suit different tastes. There¬ 
fore it behoves all young gardeners to change places as soon as they 
have had a season or two, and have mastered the difficulties in one 
district. Not only do the means of production vary through the causes 
named, but also through the different ways of carrying out the work. 
Young men may be trained as journeymen or foremen in gardens 
where sub-tropical bedding is done, or bedding out on the old style, and at 
which place Grapes may be also well grown. Yet it is necessary for him 
to get a training in carpet bedding with spring and winter bedding ; 
Pine, Melon, Orchid, and plant growing ; Fig, Plum, Peach, and Cherry 
culture under glass ; and outside with a general routine of outside 
work. If this is not possible in one place it may be in another, and is 
in the reach of most 3 mung men. There are gardens, however, where 
gardening is carried out well in all its branches, and one of these is 
Basing Park Gardens, and under the skilful gardener there, Mr. 
Wm. Smythe, I served several years as general foreman. 
Sub-tropical Bedding. 
This style of bedding is very effective, but plenty of glass accom¬ 
modation is necessary for storing or starting and hardening the plants. 
If the pleasure grounds are extensive and small beds of Conifers or 
ornamental shrubs are dotted about, this is the position for sub-tropical 
plants. On the other hand, if the grounds are small and well sheltered 
one or more beds for the centre can be used for that purpose ; too many 
would not be advisable, as it would give the grounds a heavy appear¬ 
ance. The sides, borders, ends, or corners, if sheltered from winds, can 
be filled with these plants, which would show up well and act as a good 
background for dwarfer bedding plants. The following are amongst 
the most useful sub-tropical plants. 
Wigandias. —The seeds should be sown in February, pricked off 
when large enough, and grown along in a good loam in a warm house 
until the plants are a fair size, when they should be stood in a cool 
greenhouse or pit preparatory to be finally hardened off outside in a 
sheltered position. The end of May for the south and June for the 
more northern counties would be a good time for planting out. 
Canmis of sorts are effective for massing, as beds can be planted 
of various colours. They can be equally as well used with most of the 
sub-tropical plants-viz., various Eucalyptus, Abutilons, AmaraiMhus, 
Humeas, and Zea japonica. Seed should be sown in February. These 
will come in for lower positions than those grown from the divisions of 
the old stools. Soak the seed in tepid water twenty-four hours previous 
to sowing. The best method is to sow single seeds in thimble pots in a 
mixture of well decayed leaf mould and sand. Stand them in a forcing 
pit. When about 4 inches high they can be placed into 48-size pots, re¬ 
tained in the forcing pit till they are well established, when they can be 
removed to an intermediate house preparatory to further hardening, and 
finally bed them out in June. If they have been in shady places they 
are likely to be badly scorched when first planted. This is also often 
caused by watering them over the foliage late in the morning, globules 
of water concentrating the rays of the sun, therefore burning the 
leaves. 
ITumoa elegans, a graceful indispensable sub-tropical plant, has a 
light effect when planted in beds, and breaks the flatness and sameness 
that often prevails in large pleasure gardens. For instance, if the shape 
of the bed is a circle, describe in it a hexagon, a pentagon, or even a 
square, and at each of the corners, or where the lines intersect, plant 
Humeas, filling the spaces with Begonias, Petunias, _ Dracaenas, 
Amaranthus, Abutilons, or any of the succulents, and edge with suitable 
plants such as Golden Harry liieover Pelargonium, Lobelia, Ageratum, or 
Pyrethrum, If the bed is square or oblong, a single row down the 
centre, or form a square or oblong, and place a Humea at each corner and 
one in the centre, and fill up with suitable plants. It must be borne m 
mind that plants more than 18 inches to 2 feet high will spoil the 
beauty of the Humea, and that the Humeas must not be placed too 
closely together, otherwise their graceful form will be spoiled. The seed 
of Humea elegans should be sown the preceding summer and treated 
like Eucalyptus, but with less heat. Ordinary greenhouse or cool frame 
treatment will suit. If treated too warm it will throw the flower too 
early in the spring. 
Montagnea hijnniiatifida. —This plant is a favourite of mine, and 
always used it in beds by itself for single rows in oblong or square beds. 
The seeds should be sown in February, placed in heat, and treated in 
every way like the Gannas. The way I have a’ways propagated these 
plants for my own use is from cuttings or side shoots in the autumn, 
compost being a light friable loam, placed in the propagating frame. 
After they have rooted they can be grown along in an intermediate 
house during the winter. Cuttings can be propagated from these in the 
spring if necessary ; they should be gradually hardened off and planted 
out in June. _ -u d 
Sidanums marginatum, rohustum, and Warsoeioiczi. —Sow the seeds 
in March either in small pots or in 48’s or pans. Prick off when strong 
enough. After they are at home in their new quarters they can be 
removed to cooler houses previous to hardening them off in frames. 
Plant out end of May or beginning of June. While growing theta m 
pots, a good sharp turfy loam with leaf soil should be used, and it a 
little cowdung specially prepared— i.e., taken while fresh and laid to 
dry out of the way of insects, as much damage is done where manure is 
used that has been expo.sed and filled with the larva of various pests. 
It can be stored in a Mushroom house, or the top of a boiler, so as to 
thoroughly dry off the water—it will be available for every kind of plant 
stove or greenhouse, Ca’anthes in particular, as well as sub-tropic^ 
plants. It should be rubbed through a fine sieve before mixing it with 
the soil. I have grown rare and valuable specimens by the aid of this 
manure, when others have tried every other thing their experience 
directed them to, with no other result but failure. 
Eucaly 2 )t'us globulus runs other plants very hard for first place in 
sub-tropical gardening ; pirating the terms of the quacks—no garden is 
complete without them. A very large bed in the centre, or at each end 
of a large terrace, or where two or three terraces meet at right angles, 
are very imposing with Eucalyptus for the centre, backed up with 
other ornamental and variegated plants, graduated to the 
the bed. Some of the fine groups in our large shows can be equalled, it 
not surpassed, with the well-arranged bed of various hues, overhanging 
each other in graceful form. Eucalyptus seed should be sown the 
preceding year to be of much use for the position I ^have given it. 
Raise the seed in heat in the compost mentioned for Solanums, with 
plenty of sharp sand added, potting them along, and retaining them in 
heat until they are 0 or 9 inches high, when they can be removed to 
cooler quarters to winter. These should be placed into 24’s during the 
spring to get well established for hardening previous to planting wt. 
My experience of bedding is greater than my ability for writing, but 
I pen these lines, and shall continue, with the view of assisting some 
to produee an effective display more pleasing than the ordinary bedding.— 
G. A. Bishop, The Gardens, Wightwich Manor, 
GIGANTIC BROMELIADS. 
Most of the ornamental Bromeliads grown in gardens are of mode¬ 
rate size, and some are even diminutive, but in the Puyas of Peru and 
neighbouring regions we have the giants of the family—not perhaps so 
