472 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March. 27, 1886. 
atmosphere. Early Azaleas will now be going out of 
flower, and should have the remains of their blooms or 
any seed vessels picked off, placing the plants in a 
warm position as previously advised. Camellias should 
also be cleared of their old flowers, any straggling 
shoots shortened, and growth encouraged by syringing 
and a slightly warmer position. Bedding plants must 
now be seen to and encouraged to grow, potting any 
that have not been so treated, and inserting cuttings of 
Lobelias or any other plants of which the stock is in¬ 
sufficient for the purpose. Annuals and other plants 
raised from seed for flowering in pots, may now be sown 
in the greenhouse.— Scolytus. 
-- 
PRIMULA OBOONICA. 
It is now of such an every day occurrence to meet 
with good strains of Chinese Primulas, well grown and 
flowered, in greenhouse and conservatory decoration, 
that, coming as they do annually, we often regard them 
as a matter of course, and some fresh comer welcomed. 
In P. obconica we have one of the freest and best for 
conservatory work, a plant which for delicacy and 
grace is far better suited for decorative purposes 
than the sinensis' section ; for vases or epergnes 
it is beautifully adapted and retains its flowers a 
considerable time. It is, perhaps, in one point unique, 
it is a perpetual bloomer, and if liberally treated and 
grown in quantity would prove an acquisition in 
conservatories, and also for cut flowers ; the latter are 
arranged in umbels, the colour white and shaded lilac. 
It is of easy culture, and may be grown in the same way 
as the sinensis type and with the same treatment. 
It is, however, evergreen, a true perennial and hardy 
in some localities. The result is not satisfactory when 
grown outside as compared with cool greenhouse treat¬ 
ment, nor does it do the plant justice. Quite recently 
in a conservatory in the neighbourhood of Bath, I 
counted some thirty spikes in various stages on a 
plant in a 7-in. pot, and which had been flowering for 
upwards of three months, the gardener assuring me that 
the quantity of flower spikes which had been cut fresh 
added to those which had been removed as the flowers 
faded would reach an almost incredible total, which 
statement I could easily entertain, and which only 
endorses my own experience of it. Here it is allowed to 
flower some five or six months, when the flowers are all 
{■enjoyed, and the plants divided and grown on again 
for winter work. It may be also raised from seeds, 
which if sown at once and treated liberally would make 
nice plants for the ensuing winter. It grows about 1 ft. 
high, and makes a handsome bush, and I am sure those 
who give it a fair trial will not easily be persuaded from 
continuing to grow it. It forms a pleasing contrast to, 
and companion for the yellow flowered P. floribunda.— J. 
-- 
SCIENCE IN HORTICULTURE. 
Much has appeared lately upon the desirability of 
extending the scientific knowledge of young gardeners, 
and some excellent views have been expressed by several 
writers. It is quite evident that there is a growing 
opinion that gardeners, like other men, are all the 
better for an acquaintance with the principles upon 
which their practice is founded, but for all that they 
must be practical; for however good a man’s theoretical 
knowledge may be, he cannot expect it to serve him 
much unless he combines it to elucidating the opera¬ 
tions in which he is engaged. It is on this point that 
some have made a mistake when entering life, and it is 
in the same way that prejudice against scientific instruc¬ 
tion in horticulture has been caused and fostered. 
"When a young man is being trained for the calling of 
a gardener he must bear in mind that his chief object 
is to piaster the various methods of culture, the mode 
of performing certain operations, the times when they 
require attention, the most successful systems of cul¬ 
tivating and training fruits, plants, and vegetables. 
This constitutes the art of gardening, and he must 
resolve to master it thoroughly, or he will never rank 
ps a practical man and will constantly be meeting with 
difficulties that theory alone will not enable him to 
surmount. When he is becoming familiar with the 
principal operations he will, if of an observant character 
as all good gardeners must be, begin to wish to know 
the reasons for much that has to be done in a certain 
manner or at a certain time. Then a little study will 
help him, and he should commence by gaining an 
elementary knowledge of plant structure and their 
chemical constitution. This may be followed by a 
study of the chemistry of soils and manures, the 
principles of meterology, and the laws of heat. 
Some knowledge of drawing, planning, etc., is also 
necessary, and from these the student can extend his 
attention to any cognate matters, such as levelling or 
surveying, for all may prove useful at some time. 
Anything in fact which has a bearing upon his pro¬ 
fession can be utilised by a man who thinks about his 
work, and who is actuated by an earnest desire to excel. 
Those who scoff at knowledge of this character to be 
employed in the assistance of practice, are not worthy of 
attention, they are behind the times and will have to 
give place to others who take wider views. The aim of 
every young man should be to gain as much knowledge 
as possible, but let it be useful, and such as will help 
him in his calling, and he will have cause in after life 
to congratulate himself on time well occupied .—An Old 
Hand. 
-~>X<-- 
THE FROST AND ITS LESSONS. 
Preachers frequently discourse on the lessons 
which adversity should teach us. It may be well for 
us who have to do with the stern realities of life, which 
the late prolonged low temperature influenced in a 
remarkable degree, to enquire what lessons we may 
learn from the unwelcome experiences we have passed 
through. I think all must admit that the season of 
1885-1886 is one of the worst with which the present 
generation of gardeners have had to contend, following, 
as it did, after a cold dry autumn, during which the 
staple crops we rely upon for the winter and spring 
supply made only one half the growth they generally 
do, found many ill prepared to supply the requirements 
of the culinary department; and had a comparatively 
mild winter ensued, the difficulties of the situation 
would have been great enough to contend with, with¬ 
out their having been intensified, as they have, by the 
long-continued frost which seemed loath to leave us, the 
thermometer registering twice during the week before 
last 14° of frost, and the east winds of the previous week 
scorching up much that bid fair to give some return 
for past labour, when milder weather, which we have 
long been looking for, should set in. 
"We have been from the middle of October using up 
what had grown previous to that date, and have drawn 
on our supplies to that extent that many are in a con¬ 
dition of vegetable bankruptcy ; and now there is, in 
many instances, little or nothing that can be done. 
Those who have plenty of room under glass can do 
much with French Beans, Hew Potatos, &c.; but there 
is a large class who have not the facilities to grow 
these things, and it may be worth while for them to re¬ 
flect, whether by care and forethought they can be better 
provided against similar eventualities in the future. 
Previous to this season we have had several mild and 
open winters ; and now having passed through one of 
greater severity, we may look for one or two more to 
follow it, and all should do their utmost to be veil 
stocked with produce to meet a probable contingency. 
I would suggest that a much larger store of Sea Kale 
crowns should be grown than we usually find in most 
places. What might easily be sent to table daily is 
too often considered a luxury, and only sent in occa¬ 
sionally. This, of all vegetables available for the 
winter and spring months, is the most appreciated, and 
a good supply of it will go a long way in tiding over 
the difficulties of a season like the present. Another 
resaurce, of which, unfortunately, few can avail them¬ 
selves of this year from the scarcity of the crop owing 
to the drought of last summer, is the forced tops of 
Swede Turnips. These placed in a warm dark place, 
soon produce an abundance of sprouts, which make an 
excellent dish, and are generally much approved of 
whenever they are tried, some pronouncing them nearly 
or quite equal to Sea Kale. Where cows are kept the 
roots, after yielding a crop of sprouts, may be given to 
them. 
A ton of roots will produce an astonishing quantity 
of sprouts, which make a very agreeable variety at 
table, and where the roots are used for the cattle when 
done with, the sprouts are provided at a very small 
cost. The roots should be introduced into the Mush¬ 
room-house, forcing pits, or under the stage of a warm 
house, in batches suitable to the requirements of the 
family, and be planted in soil to about half way up the 
bulb, and may be packed pretty closely together. 
Where there is plenty of space, it might be worth while 
to grow a breadth of the Thousand-headed Kale, which 
is used by some farmers for sheep-feeding. It seems to 
stand severe weather better than our Scotch, Cottager’s 
Kale or Chou de Milan ; but being a coarse feeding 
subject, it is not very many who would care much for 
it if anything else could be had, and where grown in 
ordinary seasons, it would very likely be let run to 
waste, better things being available. — JV. B. G. 
-- 
THE AMARYLLIS. 
The untoward character of the season which has 
so much upset the reckoning of many experienced 
practitioners, is responsible also for many of our spring 
flowers being later than usual in displaying their floral 
charms. Messrs. Yeitch & Sons’ grand collection of 
Amaryllis is quite a fortnight later than last year, but 
they have lost nothing by being kept back, for, with 
the more genial weather of the past week, the flowers 
have come along at a great rate, and in perfect form 
and colour. At the present time the large house 
devoted to these showy plants is quite a forest of stout 
vigorous flower scapes, and by next week a great pro¬ 
portion of the 2,630 flowering bulbs will be in bloom. 
The seedlings of which Messrs. Yeitch raise an immense 
quantity, naturally claim the first attention, as it is to 
these they look for improvements and advances on ex¬ 
isting sorts ; and the present season’s batch, it is 
satisfactory to know, has already yielded some sterling 
novelties, of which mention may be made of the fol¬ 
lowing :— 
Nemesis. —A splendid shaped flower, about 8 ins. 
across, raised from Leopoldi crossed with a Continental 
variety. It is a white ground flower handsomely mot¬ 
tled with red. 
Nestor. —A large, smooth, reddish crimson flower, 
with the tips of the segments greenish white. From 
Leopoldi crossed with a good seedling. 
Caradoc. —From the same pod of seed as the last 
named ; of the Leopoldi shape, and in colour blood- 
crimson, mottled with white. 
Fenstanton. —A rich lustrous crimson, shading off to 
red, with a light centre, very distinct, and obtained 
from a feathered seedling crossed with Emilke, a certifi¬ 
cated variety. 
Cavalier. —A distinct and large flower from Junius, 
crossed with Leopoldi ; dark crimson shaded with rose, 
and light centre. A fine smooth flower. 
Damio. —A rich lustrous crimson, from Empress 
Eugenie and Emilise, partaking of the former in colour, 
and the latter in shape. 
Robin Hood. —A grand flower, being of great size and 
substance, round and smooth ; a brilliant scarlet in 
colour with a white starry centre. 
Nubia. —Yery distinct in colour, being of a rich red- 
wine shade. From Malvolia, crossed with Emiliae. 
Hengist. —A broad flower with well-reflexed segments; 
rosy crimson, with white veins, and a light centre. 
This also comes from a continental variety crossed with 
Leopoldi. 
Mars. —A very fine showy flower of a rich scarlet 
hue, with a green centre, and the tips of the segments 
white. From the same parentage as Nestor. 
Brennus. —Yery large and round, of a deep port wine 
colour, slightly mottled with white. From Prince 
Leopold and John Heal, and partaking of the former 
in its deep colour, and of the latter in size and shape. 
Pcrdita. —A very distinct, large, open flower ; crim¬ 
son mottled with white. 
Falkirk. —Yery large ; white, heavily shaded and 
veined with crimson. From Prince Leopold and Henry 
Little. 
Among the older sorts which still hold their own we 
noted in fine bloom Prince Leopold, John Heal, and 
G. Taylor, both perfection in form ; Clarinda, Empress 
of India, which has given some of the finest varieties ; 
Perle, ivory-white, with a few crimson veins ; Lord of 
the Isles, pure scarlet without a trace of green; Alba 
viridis, one of the most distinct, pale creamy yellow 
with a lacing of crimson round the segments ; James 
Douglas, a fine deep crimson ; General Gordon, a rich 
red wine colour, with a white band down the segments; 
Sir Bedvers Buller, scarlet with a white starry centre ; 
and Picotee, creamy white with the upper segments 
feathered with crimson. For the moment the Amaryllis 
house is the leading feature in the Messrs. Yeitch's 
nursery ; but visitors during the next week or two 
should not fail to see the superb collections of Hyacinths 
and other spring flowers in one of the show houses, and 
the grand lot of bloom in the cool Orchid department 
