1880 . ] 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
127 
— SInImproved Throttle Valve, produced 
by tlie Meadow Foundry Company, was awarded 
a silver medal at the Royal Horticultural Show 
at South Kensington on June 11th. In the many 
attempts which have been made in this direction, 
something has usually been wanting,—either the 
valves have taken up too much space, or repairs 
could only be done in an indifferent manner and that 
by a skilled artizan. In the valve represented by 
the accompanying figures, these and other causes of 
objection have been overcome. It will be seen that 
it takes up no more room than a common valve; the 
connection of the valve and seating with the box is 
so simple, that a labourer can take it out in case of 
fouling, clean it, and replace in a few minutes ; and 
should any accident occur to the valve, it is only 
necessary to keep one or more of the valves and 
seats in duplicate, to replace the damaged one as 
easily. This is no doubt a great advantage in esta¬ 
blishments where the assistance of skilled artisans 
cannot be promptly obtained. The use of this 
valve may therefore be highly recommended. 
SEJriting in the Gardener s Magazine , 
Mr. O'. Gordon recommends the following as 
the 12 Best Abutilons : — Chinois , a very 
brightly-coloured variety, of splendid habit and free- 
blooming, the flowers large, of fine form, pale orange 
washed with red; Darwinii robustum, a fine rose- 
coloured variety in the way of rosseflorum, which 
it surpasses in the size of its flowers; Darwinii 
grandiflorum, orange-colour, veined with red, of 
splendid habit ; Le Orclot, rose-lilac shaded and 
veined magenta, flowers large, habit remarkably 
good ; Louis Marignac, pale lilac slightly veined and 
shading to white, exquisitely beautiful and decidedly 
first-class; Insigne, rather robust, the best of the 
purple varieties ; the more recent Louis Yan Houtte 
and Souvenir de St. Maurice are similar, but not so 
good ; Megcipotamicum variegatum, an elegant varie¬ 
gated variety of slender habit, well suited for small 
standards and baskets ; Niveum marmoratum, a 
robust variety, ■ with handsome' variegated foliage, 
forming attractive specimens, and well suited for 
bold masses in the flower-garden ; Princess Marie, a 
beautiful variety, with rose-lake flowers; Perle d’Or, 
clear rich yellow, the best of its colour, quite sur¬ 
passing Heine d’Or and Lemoinei ; Seraph, pure 
white, very free and fine, quite surpassing Boule de 
Neige ; Vesuvius, brilliant reddish scarlet, very rich 
in colour, and quite distinct. 
— £n Planting Frame Potatos, the prac¬ 
tice adopted by Mr. Denning, at Coombe, seems 
to present strong evidence of the value of shal¬ 
low planting. Mr. .Denning plants all his Potato 
tubers intended for frame-work first in small pots, 
the top of the tuber just projecting from the soil. 
When the plants are about 8 in. in height they are 
planted out in frames 10 in. apart each way, the 
tuber rootlets being just buried. The stems after¬ 
wards receive two earthings, by added soil of about 
an inch each in thickness; and the result of this 
mode of culture is that the young tubers are pro¬ 
duced far earlier, are finer, and there is a better and 
more regular crop than is found where the tubers 
are planted perhaps from 4 in. to 5 in. deep at the 
first. This plan admits of the strongest being se¬ 
lected to plant up together, and the weaker ones 
remain until they are more advanced in growth, and 
thus make a successional planting. The routine of 
potting and planting begins early in the year, and 
continues as long as required. 
— S/HE Hardiness of Azalea Mrs. Car¬ 
michael is well attested. Mr. Carmichael 
states that last autumn he planted out two 
plants of it, and these have withstood the severe 
winter, and look as fresh as possible. The plants 
were in an exposed situation, and had no protection. 
He says :—“ I am fully confident that hybrids 
between Mrs. Carmichael Azalea and the large- 
flowered greenhouse varieties will be hardy. Then 
let Rhododendrons look to their honours.” 
— ®he new Clematis Pellieri is described 
in the Revue Ilorticole as a hybrid raised by 
the late M. Pellier, of Montertreau (Sarthe), 
from C. erecta fertilised by C. lanuginosa. It is a 
robust plant, 5 ft. to 6 ft. high, with simple ovate- 
lanceolate leaves about 4 in. long, and a dichoto- 
mously-branched inflorescence of large flowers, 4 in. 
across, with from 4 to 6 sepals, of a pale violet or 
mauve-blue, with bright lilac filaments, and yellow 
anthers. It is vigorous in growth, and hardy, ex¬ 
tremely floribund, being clothed for more than three 
months with very large flowers, which slightly recall 
those of G. Durandii, but are larger and prettier. 
M. Pellier himself, as quoted by M. Carriere, ascribes 
its origin to C. Viticella crossed by C. lanuginosa. 
— 5The varieties of Phlox setacea raised 
by the Rev. Mr. Nelson are exceedingly pretty, 
the dense masses of varied white, blush, and 
pink-tinted flowers being very effective either as 
border or rock plants; and, what is of some import¬ 
ance, they are not particular as to soil. The variety 
compacta has pinkish-blush flowers, with a crimson 
eye; grandiflora has darker-coloured flowers ; Model 
is pink, with a purplish-crimson eye; and Bride, 
white, with red eye, this being later than the others 
to flower. 
— |lo doubt the Aubrietia deltoidea is 
amongst the most generally useful of spring- 
flowering plants, being fitted either for front- 
row plants in borders or rockwork, or to cover 
speedily any sterile piece of ground under trees or 
in the open garden. There are several varieties of 
it, the best forms of which are probably A. Camp- 
bellii, which forms masses of large violet-purple 
flowers, A. Hendersoni, and A. purpurea, all being 
worthy of extensive cultivation. 
— ». Carriere has recently described 
two distinct and very handsome Variegated 
