December 25, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
267 
Fletcher told me it was seldom out of flower. In the 
same house, at the end, was a beautiful specimen of 
the New Zealand Flax, Phormium tenax variegatum, 
also two good pieces of Araucaria excelsa, and the more 
beautiful form named glauca. The two end houses are 
devoted to growing soft-wooded plants and propagating. 
Mr. Stones, who is a generous supporter of gardening, 
has everything kept in good order.— J. W. S. 
-- 
ARDENING fllSCELLANY. 
Poinsettias at Clarendon Park —In paying 
a visit to the gardens of the above-named place a few 
days ago, we had the pleasure of meeting with a very 
excellent and well-grown collection of Poinsettia pul- 
cherrima, which merit a passing word of comment, not 
so much on account of their admirable arrangement, 
but chiefly with regard to the system of culture adopted. 
The plants average from 21 ins. to 30 ins. in height, 
with bracts 18 ins. to 20*ins. across ; the smaller sizes 
being the moreliandsome by reason of their symmetry 
and general appearance ; the larger sizes having two or 
three separate heads, so to speak, on each shoot. The 
old plants are started in heat towards the end of March, 
having been previously cut down ; in due time cuttings 
are taken off for young stock and rooted. Later on the 
old plants are hardened off by degrees, and planted out 
on a south border in good soil about the second week in 
June ; here they remain till the season’s growth is 
almost completed, and lifted carefully with as many 
roots as possible, and potted up the second week in 
September, and put inside either a house or warm 
frame. Briefly, this is the system of culture as carried 
out by Mr. Warden, the gardener at Clarendon Park, 
and that it is a good one for the south of England there 
cannot be much doubt, as the plants under notice 
fully prove. — Visitor. 
Celery, Clayworth Pride. —Who is not fond 
of good Celery ? Personally I am very fond of it, and 
can well recommend this as one of the finest pink 
varieties grown. It is not one of the largest sorts, but 
this deficiency is fully made up in point of quality. 
The stalks are very solid, crisp, and of a rich nutty 
flavour. I cannot recall to mind who raised it; hut I 
have noticed large breadths of it in the outskirts of the 
quiet rural village of Clayworth, in Nottinghamshire, 
midway betwixt Doncaster and Retford, where it is 
evidently the pride of the village.— B. L. 
Gentiana acaulis. —In reply to “Con,” p. 235, 
I may say that, in my last place in West Cornwall, 
this Gentian grew to perfection, judging from what I 
have seen elsewhere. From a patch 8 ft. by 6 ft. one 
could gather hundreds of flowers at a time of the most 
lovely blue imaginable. They were so thick that you 
could scarcely put two fingers between the flowers ; the 
ground was a complete carpet, and the only thing done 
to the bed was keeping it regularly weeded, which was 
a very troublesome business, as the ground was as hard 
as the walks. I think firmness is a great point in their 
culture. The plants I mention have not been disturbed 
for several years, and they are in common garden soil 
below the average in quality. — T. J. 
The Globe Dahlia. —Of one of the “Dahlias of 
the Olden Time” mentioned by Mr. Fry, p. 236, The 
Crimson Globe, I have a pleasant recollection, and very 
glad should I be to see its singularly beautiful flowers 
once more. It had been cultivated here for a much 
longer time than my memory goes back, and was much 
prized, and a general favourite. The rich colour, perfect 
form and dwarf habit all combined to make it a most 
desirable variety ; and now, in the days when novelty is 
so much thought of and sought after, I am sure it would 
make a stir if Mr. Cannell, of Swanley, could but get 
hold of it, and bring it again to the front. I have 
always regretted that through some misadventure the 
whole stock of this beautiful Dahlia was lost here about 
twenty-five years ago. I have never met with it since, 
either in the nurseries or in any private garden.— J. T. 
Poe, Biverston. 
Elaaodendron orientals (Aralia Chab- 
rieri). —The plant grown in gardens under the name 
of Aralia Chabrieri had always a suspicious look about 
it. Erroneous descriptions are also getting dissemi¬ 
nated, where the leaves are described as alternate and 
pinnate, with long linear leaflets. Now the plant in 
gardens is a juvenile stage of the tree above-mentioned 
with very polymorphous leaves, which are opposite or 
more rarely alternate, and narrowly linear in the young 
state. From this very circumstance arises its value as 
a decorative stove shrub. These narrow leaves are 
closely produced on branches proceeding horizontally 
from the main stem, are leathery, and deep green with 
a red or purplish midrib. It belongs to the same 
natural order as the Spindle Tree of our shrubberies, 
and is, consequently, not an Aralia at all. The tree 
is very common in Rodriguez, Mauritius and Mada¬ 
gascar, where it is utilised as a timber tree. The 
flowers are small, green, and produced in November 
and December. When it attains the fruiting condition 
the leaves become broader, shorter and oval, oblong or 
obovate and crenate ; thus losing all beauty, for which 
the plant is cultivated in its juvenile state.— J. F. 
Chinese Primulas. —In the notice in our last 
week’s issue of the Birmingham Primulas, an unfor¬ 
tunate error crept in, which demands immediate 
correction. It was stated that at the November exhi¬ 
bition of the Birmingham Chrysanthemum Society, 
Messrs. Pope & Sons “ swept the decks ” with Primulas 
in all the open classes, and that Mr. T. B. Thomson 
took the second prizes, while the facts are that all the 
first prizes, viz., Class 19, twelve Primulas, single 
varieties ; Class 20, six Primulas, single varieties ; 
Class 21, six double-flowered Primulas ; and Class 22, 
six Fern-leaved Primulas, were won by Mr. T. B. 
Thomson, with admirably grown plants, Messrs. Pope 
& Son being second in those classes. We regret the 
error exceedingly, and have the more pleasure in 
making this correction, inasmuch as Mr. Thomson has 
for several years been a liberal donor of prizes for 
Primulas grown by amateurs and gentlemen’s gardeners. 
Since writing our notice in last week’s issue, we have 
had an opportunity of seeing a long span-roofed house 
full of well-grown 1 Primulas, including the Queen, 
Emperor, Princess Louise, Marquis of Lorne and other 
singles, as well as leading doubles, in the gardens of the 
Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., at Highbury, 
where Mr. Cooper does them so well. 
Carnation Maggot. —I find that a small white 
maggot, much the type of the one found in the Apple, 
is making serious inroads on the collection of Carnations 
and Picotees grown at the Royal Nursery, Slough. 
How the marauder originated is not exactly known. 
Knowledge has been had of it for some three years past; 
but its ravages this season are much worse than they 
have ever been before. The insect appears to pierce 
the main stem and leaves of the plant, and bores its 
way along inside them, apparently feeding upon the 
tissues, and irreparably injuring both shoots and leaves. 
How it originates is not known ; probably, eggs are 
deposited in the leaf-axil or in the soil, and so the 
enemy is developed. It would almost appear that the 
attack is made at the upper portion of the plant, and 
the progress is a downward one. If the maggot bores 
its way down the stem until the soil is reached, the 
plants rot at the collar. How to grapple with and 
overcome the destroyer is not yet clear ; capture is the 
only kind of warfare yet attempted. It would be 
interesting to know if the maggot has been found in 
any other collection.— R. D. 
Keeping Frost out of a Cold Greenhouse. 
—I am afraid that it is almost an impossibility while 
the frost remains so sharp as it was on the 19th and 
20th ; the best one can do is to mitigate its effects. I 
may state that I have abandoned the use of anything 
like oil stoves, finding that they caused more trouble 
than they appeared to do good ; and they always 
emitted a most disagreeable smell. What can be done 
in the way of mitigating the effects of the frost one 
cannot wholly keep out ? In the first place I allow 
the plants to become as dry as possible at the roots, 
only giving during the depth of winter enough to keep 
them alive. A little deterioration may ensue, but not 
so much as would be caused by frost. Then I place all 
the tenderest plants in the warmest part of the house ; 
the hardiest are in the more exposed positions. Then 
all the plants are raised above the floor of the house, 
so that the pots do not come in contact with it. T o 
secure this temporary wooden stages are extemporised, 
and inverted flower pots and seed pans answer the same 
purpose ; then the house is perfectly close during the 
time frost prevails. Lastly, I cover up with old news¬ 
papers, allowing them to stay on day and night while 
frost lasts. Really, I lose hut few things—mostly 
Fuchsias and Heliotropes ; but I successfully winter 
many things of a varied character, and some that it 
might be supposed would require a warm house to pre¬ 
serve them unharmed. — R. D. 
A Winter Decorative Plant of great beauty 
is Libonia Penrhosiensis, of which Mr. R. Cooper has 
at least two dozen plants now in full beauty at High¬ 
bury, Birmingham, the residence of the Right Hon. 
Joseph Chamberlain, M.P. In habit it bears a close 
resemblance to L. floribunda, but it is much brighter 
in colour and very free-flowering ; is is unquestionably 
a very valuable plant for winter decoration, and a fine 
market plant. In one of the houses Ipomsea Thomp- 
soni, the lovely white I. Horsfallise, is blooming, and 
is an acquisition to our warm-house creepers. The 
Orchids, a grand lot, look well throughout, and many 
choice ones are now in flower ; another new Dendro- 
bium house has just been completed. The Highbury 
collection is now a very extensive one. 
A Hardy Veronica. — The Veronica which I 
showed before the committees at South Kensington, on 
the 7th inst., excited some interest, owing to the flowers 
and foliage having stood 17° of frost. I was asked to 
get the correct name, as the one I had it under, A . 
salicifolia, was disputed. A sprig was, therefore, sent 
to Kew to Mr. Baker, and he has kindly named it, 
saying that it will not pass muster for a form of V. 
parviflora, but considers it V. legustrifolia. — George F. 
Wilson, Heatherbank, Wcybridge. 
Ipomsea Horsfallise, var. Lady Briggs.— 
In spite of the general similarity between the type 
figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 3315, and the 
variety under notice, there is a marked distinction 
between the two in many points. The leaves of the 
variety are perceptibly more membraneous than the 
type, and frequently much less divided or less perfectly 
segmented. The pedicels are more slender and paler, 
with a pale purple calyx ; while that of I. Horsfallise 
is nearly black. The corolla-tube is distinctly longer, 
and little more than half the thickness of the latter ; 
while the deep shining rose colour is much the same in 
both. The whole inflorescence may be as floriferous as 
the parent plant, but is less dense, owing to the more 
elongated condition of the pedicels. Some cultivators 
may find in these characters argument for a more 
extensive cultivation of the variety ; but, in general, 
those who possess the type will be satisfied with that 
in their stove collections. Either is excellent as a stove¬ 
flowering climber, enlivening the dull winter months 
with its brilliantly-coloured flowers. Cuttings of this 
species do not succeed so readily as layers, and this 
latter mode of propagation has been found convenient 
in consequence. The variety under notice, or I. Hors- 
fallise itself, may be grown in pots or planted out. In 
the former case, owing to the rambling nature of the 
roots, large pots, or even tubs, must he used, and filled 
with a rich compost consisting of fibrous or lumpy loam, 
well-rotted manure, with or without leaf-mould, and a 
good sprinkling of sharp sand to keep the drainage 
open and the soil sweet. A similar composition may 
be used when grown in a bed or border, paying good 
attention to the drainage. — J. F. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
, » r 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Tea Roses. —With the multitudinous duties arising 
from this festive week, it is almost useless to write any¬ 
thing as to general work ; but still as the new year is 
fast approaching, and with it its cares, it is advisable, 
perhaps, to say that if time can be found, select a good 
batch of Tea Roses for placing in heat. If frost prevail, 
lift the plants from the plunging ground and place them 
under cover, that they may thaw gradually, and be 
careful to avoid giving them water. 
It is generally recognised that this section requires 
little or no pruning ; in fact, if the plants receive at¬ 
tention during the summer in the way of removing any 
over-gross shoots, no pruning whatever is necessary, 
which, with any subject introduced to the forcing house, 
is a decided advantage. Whatever structure may be 
selected in which this early batch of Roses are to 
be placed, it is absolutely necessary that, independent 
o f other occupants, they be particularly studied. 
It will be advisable to withhold water until growth 
has fairly started, when a thorough soaking of 
tepid water may be given. Care must be also taken 
that the house is properly ventilated every day, as these 
plants will not bear coddling ; in fact, unless they are 
