274 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 7, 1887. 
Rip Van Winkle. —A charming variety, rich (lark crimson scarlet, 
round margin, veined in the centre on pure white. 
Favourite .— Another of the improved reticulata type, warm rich 
crimson with white centre bars. 
Empnst .—Pure white with a feathering of scarlet. Very large and 
handsome. This must not be confounded with the older and handsome 
Empress of India, which is a fine scarlet variety. 
Ensign .—-Large, with recurved segments, rich scarlet. Four flowers 
in a head. Very effective. 
Diva. —A charming variety, the flowers streaked scarlet, on a white 
ground. Neat shape and distinct. 
Tennyson. —An improved form of a variety bearing this name, with 
very large flowers and brilliant scarlet in colour. The flowers are 8 inches 
in diameter. 
Brightness .— Bright clear scarlet, and central pure white bars, petals 
recurving ; very showy. 
Hortensc .—Light orange, central white bars, good shaped flowers, 
broad petals. 
Eurasian. —A neatly formed flower, rich scarlet, the colour extending 
to the centre. 
Kepler. —Bright orange scarlet, the flowers of beautiful form, with 
broad divisions. 
Grandeur. —-An excellent scarlet variety, the colour extending to the 
centre. 
Dry den. —White, streaked and shaded with rich rosy crimson, central 
white bars. 
Symmetry. —Orange scarlet, with darker reticulation, white central 
bar. 
Cabello .—Fine form, dark scarlet veined on white ground, white 
centre. 
Titania. —Certificated at the Regent’s Park ; light crimson purple, 
very distinct colour, white central bars. Petals 31 inches across. 
Jumna .— Very large, light scarlet, handsome. 
Casino .— Flowers of great size, scarlet crimson, white central bats, 
grand shape. 
Arcanus .— Brilliant scarlet, flower of good size, not so heavy looking 
as some of the large varieties. 
Dardanus .— Crimson, white bars rich and beautiful. 
MESSRS. WM. CUTBUSH & SONS, HIGHGATE. 
For many years an annual display of bulbs and forced plants has 
been provided during March and April at the above nursery, and the 
custom is well maintained this season. The Highgate nurseries con¬ 
stitute the head-quarters of the firm, but at Barnet the greatest number 
of plants are grown, particularly of Heaths, hardwooded plants, &c., 
for which they are famed. The houses at Highgate are chiefly devoted 
to select representatives of the more extensive collection elsewhere, and 
the conservatories at the entrance to the nursery just now contain a 
bright display of Hyacinths, Tulips, Azaleas, Heaths, and miscellaneous 
plants, arranged with fine-foliage plants such as Palms, Ferns, and 
Aralias, the variegated form of A. japonica being represented by a 
number of good-sized handsome plants. The Hyacinths comprise a 
careful selection of varieties distinguished by their good qualities, and 
amongst them we note the following—King of the Blues, uniformly 
good ; The Sultan, large bells, dark blue ; La Grandesse, exceedingly 
fine, as it is in nearly all collections ; Lord Derby, Czar Peter, Florence 
Nightingale, Vuurbaak, Linnaeus, King of the Reds, a capital bright 
colour; Koh-i-noor, fine spike; Cavaignac, handsome pale blue bells ; 
Snowflake and Mont Blanc, white, the latter very pure ; King of the 
Yellows, Bird of Paradise and Ida, yellow ; Baron Van Tuyll,dark blue ; 
Madame Van der Hoop, white, large bells, massive spike, a well-known 
and valued variety; Blondin, pale blue, fine spike; General Havelock, 
dark blue; Prima Donna, red, large flower, better than it is usually 
seen; Prince of Wales, purple with white centre; Albus superbissimus, 
white; and Prince Albert Victor, red, large bells. Of the Tulips a 
smaller number are shown, but these are good—Ophir d’Or, yellow; 
Fabiola, rose; Keizers Kroon, scarlet; White Pottebalcker, and the 
white Joost Van Vondel being capital varieties. The yellow Chrysolora, 
the bright Vermilion Brillant, the purplish Van der Neer, the scarlet 
Rembrandt, the orange red Hector, the pale pink Rose Gris de Lin, the 
rosy crimson Proserpine, the purple Wouverman, and the glowing 
scarlet Couleur Cardinal, are all notable as useful varieties either for 
culture in pots or for beds out of doors. 
The miscellaneous flowering plants arranged in these houses comprise 
numerous examples of the indispensable Deutzias, dwarf and standard 
Lilacs, and Cyclamens. The useful Staphylea colchica, now employed 
so much for forcing, is bearing its graceful white flowers in abundance. 
Epacrises form another specialty with the firm, and have been very 
beautiful this season, and some varieties like Lady Panmure (white), 
\V ilmoreana (pink, tipped with white), Viscountess Hill (scarlet), 
Hyaeinthiflora (pink, long flower’s), and Impressa are still in good 
condition. Of the free-flowering Heaths, Erica Wilmoreana, E. reger- 
minans, and E. melanthera form a trio of thoroughly useful plants, the 
last named being one of the best that can be grown, and though differ- 
ingigreatly from the favourite E, hyemalis, it is equally free and of 
good constitution. Three excellent Azaleas attract attention, two double 
white—namely, Bernard Andreas alba and Deutsche Pearle, and Madame 
Van du Cruyssen, bright, rich rose. Azalea Deutsche Pearle is a first- 
rate variety, one of the finest double forms in cultivation, the flowers of 
f ood substance, and the petals arranged almost as symmetrically as a 
ouble white Camellia. A large bank of Azalea mollis varieties occupies 
one side of a smaller house, and with the variegated Aralias already 
named and some large specimens of Azalea indica, make a brilliant; 
display. 
In the other houses are numerous plants of interest. In one is a 
good stock of the beautiful Hedera madeirensis variegata, the leaves 
having a broad pure white margin, contrasting with the dark green 
centre. For culture in pots or boxes for training over trellises this is 
an excellent variety, especially if used with some of the stronger 
growing green-leaved varieties. A good companion for it is purpurea, 
of which the leaves come with a rich purple hue when out of doors. 
The charming, fragrant, and graceful Boronia megastigma is grown 
in quantity, for it is always in demand, two or three plants perfuming 
a large house. To Pernettyas, Camellias, Adiantums, and other Ferns, 
Palms, and innumerable other plants, several houses are devoted, and 
the grounds are occupied with large stocks of ornamental shrubs and 
trees. 
MR. B. S. WILLIAMS, UPPER HOLLOWAY. 
The large conservatory in Mr. B. S. Williams’ nursery has had a 
remarkably gay appearance for several weeks, one side being devoted 
to Hyacinths, and the other chiefly to Narcissi, Tulips, and similar 
bulbous plants. About 500 Hyacinths are arranged together, comprising 
a large number of varieties, all the best being represented by several 
plants, so that the uniform good qualities of the variety can be readily 
j udged. Amongst these the following are prominent for their colours, 
the size of the bells, or the massiveness of the spikes. They are all 
single except where otherwise stated. King of the Blues, dark blue, 
handsome spike; General Pelissier, bright red; La Grandesse, large 
pure white bells, well formed, very constant and good ; Lord Derby, 
pale blue, fine compact spike ; Koh-i-noor, pink, large spike ; Ida, pale 
yellow ; Princess Helen, pale pink ; Charles Dickens, blue, light centre, 
good spike ; King of the Blacks, intensely dark bluish black ; Mar¬ 
chioness of Lome, salmon tinged with pink, neat and good ; Norma, 
delicate pale pink, very large bells, recurving segments, handsome ; 
Baron Van Tuyll, bright rich blue, compact spike ; Eclipse, double, 
bright red : ; Vuurbaak, bright, good spikes, a useful variety ; King of 
the Yellows, bright clear yellow, compact spike ; Obelisque, pale yellow; 
La Tour d’Auvergne, double white, fine ; Czar Peter, pale blue, delicate, 
good bells and spike ; Roi des Beiges, light rosy rqd, very fresh and 
neat ; Mimosa, dark blue ; Pierieman, very large drooping bells, loose 
spikes, bright blue with a lighter margin ; Madame Van der Hoop, pure 
white, large drooping bells; and Grand Lilas, pale blue, compact 
spike. - . 
In another house a beautiful display is afforded of Cyclamens, Lilacs, 
Staphylea colchica, Azaleas, and Imantophyllums. The last named are 
wonderfully fine, and well show the value of such plants for decorative 
purposes. Even when out of flower their rich dark green leaves have an 
imposing appearance, rendering them useful as foliage plants, but when 
bearing their huge trusses of orange scarlet flowers they have a grand 
effect. Much improvement has been effected amongst these in recent 
years, the size and form of the flowers have been particularly improved, 
the colours have also been varied and intensified. One beautiful variety 
now flowering is Baron Schroder, others are Cruentum, Meteor, and 
Ambroise Verschaffelt. Adjoining these is the house appropriated to 
Amaiyllises, of which Mr. B. S. Williams has made a specialty for 
many years. Amongst numerous varieties two stand out very promi¬ 
nently, one of which has been before the public several years, and the 
other to be sent out in the present season. They are Dr. Masters and 
Joseph Broome respectively, similar in shape, very neat, with solid rich 
colour, but the former bright scarlet and the latter with more crimson. 
As regards symmetry both are all that could be desired, and the type is 
an excellent one for cultural purposes, as they are of moderate growth. 
In one of the houses some plants of Ornithogalum arabicumhave been 
very noteworthy, and the value of the species for forcing and general 
culture in pots renders it worthy of much more attention than it has 
yet received in gardens. It must be ranked amongst the old neglected 
plants, for it was known to several of the old writers on gardening and 
botany in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A year or two 
ago its flowers began to be seen in the florists’ shops in Covent Garden 
Market, not, however, from home-grown plants, but from continental 
growers, and they attracted so much attention that a demand arose for 
what many regarded as a novelty. The flowers are pure white, the dark 
shining green ovary in the centre rendering the purity of the petals still 
more notable. They are borne in trusses on long peduncles, and possess 
a slight but rather agreeable fragrance. Grown in 48-pots the plants 
succeed very well, and can be forced into flower soon after Christmas,- 
lasting until far into the spring. When cut the flowers are also very 
durable, an important quality in plants for decorative purposes. The 
woodcuts (figs. 50 and 51), lent by Mr. B, S. Williams, show the general 
habit of the plant, and the size of the individual flowers. 
The Orchids comprise in the cool house a choice assortment of 
Odontoglossums and Masdevallias, with Ada aurantiaca, Sophronitis, 
and other useful plants. In the warm houses Cypripediums, Cattleyas, 
Vandas, Oncidiums, Lycastes, Dendroblums, and innumerable others 
contribute .their attractions, but to these we shall have occasion to refer 
at a later period. 
THE BIRMINGHAM SPRING FLOWER SHOW. 
The annual Exhibition was held in the Town Hall, Birmingham, 
March 30th and 31st, and although the entries were not so numerous its 
previously, owing to a discontinuance of exhibiting by some well-known 
