520 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 17, 1886. 
for growing, but afterwards tliey must not be treated 
quite as cool, in fact they always require an intermediate 
heat to keep them in health. This type will be flower¬ 
ing at nearly all seasons of the year, and are, therefore, 
very useful. The large-flowering varieties are nearly 
all spring blooming. The soil that suits these plants 
best is good peat and sand, and for the stronger plants 
a little fine loam may be added. Potting should be done 
very firm, and may be done either just before the plant 
begins to grow or after they have finished growth and 
set their flower buds. They should never be potted 
unless they really require it, as they always flower best 
when well pot-bound. 
As this class of plants seems to be coming again into 
favour, I should advise those who have not yet grown 
them to give a few varieties a trial, and with good 
cultivation they will well repay the grower for the room 
they may occupy. The following twelve—six of each 
type—make a good selection for a commencement:— 
Campanula!ed Poem. —Calophyllum, large funnel- 
shaped, pure white flowers ; Countess of Derby, very 
free-flowering, large bell-shaped flowers, pure white, and 
deliciously fragrant ; Countess of Sefton, white, with a 
band of rosy purple ; Fragrantissima, white shaded 
blush, large and handsome ; Princess Alice, white 
flushed with pink, dwarf habit; Yeitchianum, white, 
yellow at the base. 
Jasminiflorum Form. — Duchess of Edinburgh, 
bright orange-scarlet very fine ; Jasminreflora, white, 
very fragrant ; Princess Alexandra, flowers long, pure 
waxy white ; Princess Royal, rich rose, very fine ; Pink 
Beauty, pink with white tube, large clusters ; Taylori 
rich bright pink, white tube, extra fine.— TV. G. 
-- 
A FEAST OF DAFFODILS. 
That this was provided at South Kensington on 
Tuesday last, there can be no doubt. Never before, in 
my opinion, have such fine and varied collections been 
produced. I say fine, for the development of some of 
the flowers was marvellous. Probably the season has 
suited them, for the flowers were not only fine in point 
of size, but they were also brilliantly coloured. In 
addition, there were a number of fine types of a novel 
character, and the Daffodil Committee had a lon» 
sitting, endeavouring, among other things, to relegate 
these to their proper sections. I may state that the 
exhibitors were : Messrs. Barr & Son, 12, King Street, 
Covent Garden ; Messrs. Collins Bros. &; Gabriel, 39, 
Waterloo Road, S.W. ; Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm 
Nurseries, Tottenham ; Mr. J. Walker, market gar¬ 
dener, Whitton, Middlesex; and the New.Plant and 
Bulb Company, Lion Walk, Colchester. 
It is very difficult to present to your readers a 
popular sketch of the Daffodil, so as to enable them to 
grasp the characteristics of the different sections. 
Undoubtedly, the most popular is that which comprises 
the Trumpet Daffodils; they have a saucer-shaped 
perianth, and a long trumpet or corolla. The greater 
part of the collections seen on Tuesday last, were made 
up of Trumpet Daffodils, and seeing that they vary in 
size, colour, and combinations of colours, it is no 
wonder they are so popular. One of the earliest of 
these to flower is Pallidus prseeox, which is altogether 
white ; and three other prominent members of this 
section seen on Tuesday, were, Albicans, Cernuus, and 
Cernuus pulcher; a rarer form, named Colleen Bawn, 
was seen in one of the collections. Of the Golden 
Trumpet Daffodils, there were fine examples of Emperor, 
Lincolnshire Yellow, Maximus, Obvallaris rugilobus, 
Spurius, Spurius coronatus, and Spurius Henry Irving, 
a very good lot. Of the two coloured Trumpet 
Daffodils, having the perianth white, creamy, sulphur, 
or yellow, and the trumpet yellow ; there were Dean 
Herbert, Empress, a lovely variety ; Horsfeldi, Lobu- 
laris, and Princeps. 
Next comes a section in which the trumpet is reduced 
in length, being half the length of the divisions of the 
perianth and challice-shaped. The cups of some of 
these are in some cases heavily margined with gold and 
shades of orange, and though many of them are very 
attractive, I do not think they hit the popular taste to 
the degree that the trumpet varieties do. Some of the 
most popular are Incomparabilis, Leedsii, C. J. Back¬ 
house, Glow, and John Bull; these are golden flowered. 
There is a giant form named Sir Watkin, which comes 
nearer to the trumpet section than any other. This 
has a sulphur perianth, broad, stout, and of the best 
form, and a golden cup tinged with orange. This was 
largely shown, and in particularly fine character, by 
Mr. J. Walker, who also had a very fine sport from it ; 
the cup deep golden, and margin with rich reddish 
orange. Of white varieties there were Cynosure, Mrs. 
Syme, Mary Anderson (a lovely variety), Queen Bess, 
and Stella. There are several sub-sections of these ; 
there is one known as Barr’s Daffodils, with shortened 
challice-shaped cups, both white and golden. Then 
there is a group known as Leeds Daffodils, with white 
or Primrose-shaped cups; both include striking varieties, 
that need to be seen to be appreciated. 
Then comes the poetieus type, of which there are a 
large number, and in the case of these the cup or 
challiee is much reduced in size. The leading varieties 
shown on this occasion were angustifolius, ornatus, and 
poetarum ; a few of them flower in April, but the larger 
part of them bloom in May. 
The earliest types to flower are in all probability the 
Medusas Trumpet Daffodils, or, perhaps, better known 
as Hoop Petticoat Narciss. These have been in flower 
for some weeks, but on this occasion Mr. T. S. Ware, 
had some very fine pots of the yellow and white 
varieties. 
Of the Polyanthus Narcissus, or bunch-flowered 
Daffodils, little need be said, as they are well known 
as suitable for cultivation in pots for greenhouse 
decoration, a few rvere shown on this occasion, but 
Messrs. Barr & Son had the true form of Orientalis, 
white perianth, the cup handsomely stained with 
orange. 
Nor must the double Trumpet Daffodils—the double 
Daffodils of our gardens, be overlooked. Some fine 
and glowing bunches of these were shown, such as 
Telemonius plenus, Lobularius plenus, and Cernuus 
flore pleno, the double white Trumpet Daffodil. Capax 
plenus or Queen Anne double Daffodil, is a very old 
and singular form, perhaps more curious than pleasing. 
The New Plant and Bulb Company had some curious 
double-flowered types in their select collection.—A. D. 
-- 
HYBRID ANTHURIUMS. 
Those who remember the introduction of Anthurium 
Scherzerianum from Costa Rica, and noted the smallness 
of its scarlet spathes, could scarcely have anticipated 
that in the hands of even the most skilled of plant 
cultivators it would have been developed into the noble 
proportions that we now so frequently see, both at ex¬ 
hibitions and in private gardens. When Mr. Ward’s 
variety was first shown, it marked a wonderful advance 
in size and form, and still holds its own in the best of 
company. When the distinguished French traveller, 
M. Andre, sent home from Costa Rica that remarkably 
distinct and grand species, A. Andreanum, not a few 
growers came to the conclusion that it would supersede 
the old favourite, but they soon found out their mistake, 
for although remarkably distinct and striking in the 
cordate form and corrugated character of its glowing 
scarlet spathes, it is of a different habit of growth, and 
lias never yet been grown into such grand specimens as 
A. Scherzerianum readily admits of. However, it is 
not every one who wants specimens for exhibition, and 
so A. Andreanum will be extensively grown in time for 
stove decoration. 
It was but natural that hybridists should seize upon 
such a characteristic plant as the last named with a 
view to the production of hybrid novelties, and among 
the most successful experimentors in this direction 
must be named Mr. Bergman, the talented gardener 
at Ferrieres, Baron Alphonse de Rothschild’s princely 
seat near Paris. By crossing A. ornatum and A. Andre¬ 
anum, Mr. Bergman obtained the distinct and showy 
A. Ferrierense, which in habit of growth resembles A. 
ornatum, while the spathe is of a bright rosy carmine 
colour, cordate in form, and from 5 ins. to 6 ins. across, 
and the spadix about 5 ins. long, white for two-tliirds 
of its length, and the top portion fawn-yellow. 
Mr. Bergman, by crossing A. Scherzerianum with 
its white-spathed variety, album, has also been fortu¬ 
nate in obtaining another striking novelty, which 
has been named Rothschiklianum. It is decidedly 
intermediate in character between its parents as regards 
the spathe, the ground colour of which is creamy white, 
blotched and spotted with coral-red, while the spadix 
is yellow, and twisted as in A. Scherzerianum album. 
Being only of recent introduction into commerce, I 
am satisfied that these grand acquisitions have not yet 
been seen at their best, but their merits have been quite 
sufficient to obtain for them the highest awards given 
by the Royal Horticultural and Royal Botanic Societies. 
— Plantsraan. [We should add that these fine plants 
were sent out by Messrs James Yeitch & Sons, to whom 
we are indebted for the opportunity of illustrating them. 
A. Rothschildianum was shown in fine form at Ken¬ 
sington, on Tuesday, by Sir Trevor Lawrence.— Ed.] 
-—- 
SPRING FLOWERS AT WISLEY. 
At Oakwood, Wisley, some-three miles from Wev- 
bridge Heath, and in one of the pleasantest parts of 
the county of Surrey, Mr. G. F. Wilson, F.R.S., has 
established an experimental garden, which from early 
spring to late in autumn is of the most interesting 
character—a place of pilgrimage for plant lovers from 
all parts of the world. Mr. Wilson, who is well-known 
as a member of the council of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, and chairman of its Floral Committee, has for 
years been a most enthusiastic cultivator of plants, and 
of Lilies and hardy plants in particular, and is the 
happy possessor of three gardens, in which he can carry 
on those experiments, which for so many years have 
been to him such a valued source of pleasure and re¬ 
creation. At Heatherbank he has a choice collection 
of Orchids and stove and greenhouse plants, among the 
former, which are admirably grown, being several 
subjects of interest generally to Orchid growers, not 
the least in importance being the beautiful Phaius 
tuberculosus, which he has been so successful in flower¬ 
ing while many others have failed with it. 
At The Cottage, or rather we should say Gishurst 
Cottage, for the name is very familiar among gardeners, 
though many may not know that it is to Mr. Wilson’s 
skill as a chemical experimentor, that they owe the 
introduction of that useful insecticide, Gishurst’s 
Compound—are the orchard houses and Lily houses 
from which have come so many cultural triumphs. 
Mr. Wilson was one of the first to adopt the system of 
cultivating fruit trees in pots in cool houses, and we 
know of no more able exponent of the art. Many 
fashions in gardening have come and gone since the 
orchard houses were built at Gishurst Cottage, but their 
owner remains true to his first love—the gnarled old 
trees after many years of pruning, pinching and potting, 
or rather annual top-dressing—for they cannot now be 
easily potted—still remain as of yore, models of skilful 
training, full of vigour and fruitfulness. When we 
saw them a few days ago they were simply sheets of 
blossoms ; a refreshing sight indeed. In the largest 
house, a large span-roofed structure, were the main 
bulk of the Lilies, grown in pots, coming away with 
stems of a strength and robustness that is truly 
surprising. Here also are quantities of good hardy 
plants, potted up and flowered under glass, and yielding 
an infinite variety of the charming flowers of spring. 
Hardy plants find a home in the borders here, as at 
Heatherbank, but to see these in perfection, we must 
go to Wisley. 
Some eight years ago, we believe, Mr. Wilson acquired 
the farm at Wisley, in which he found a woody dell 
known as Oakwood, which struck him at once as a 
place made by nature for a wild garden. In the space 
of a few acres there is to be found a great variety of 
soils, from bog earth to a deep yellow loam ; an undu¬ 
lated surface offering facilities for creating many 
different aspects ; water for making ponds and bog- 
beds, and a sufficient number of trees to afford shade 
and shelter. Under such circumstances one cannot 
wonder that such an enthusiast as Mr. Wilson went to 
work with a will, laying out the place and planting it 
with the best of everything. Needless to say, it is not 
complete yet, but every year sees tin? work carried 
forward, and with each recurring season conies some 
new experience that proves of interest and importance. 
The first things experimented with were the Liliums, 
the successful open-air culture of which Mr. Wilson 
seems to have thoroughly mastered. He has planted 
the bulbs by thousands, they grow and flower magnifi¬ 
cently, and in autumn are a sight that cannot easily be 
forgotten. With Lilies of all kinds, their successful 
treatment is reduced to a matter of shade and moisture. 
By planting in various positions and watching the 
results, Mr. Wilson has obtained a vast amount of 
information respecting the requirements of the different 
species, and we propose, on a future occasion, to go 
into the subject further. 
At the present time the genus Primula affords the 
