314 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 15, 1887. 
List of Hybrid Tuberous-rooted Begonias Raised by Messrs. James Yeitch & Sons. 
Order in 
which they 
were raised. 
Name. 
Parentage—F emale Parent always Named First. 
When put 
into 
Commerce. 
1 
B. Boliviensis x species unnamed. 
1870. 
2 
,, intermedia . 
,, Boliviensis x B. Veitchii. 
1872. 
3 
,, Chelsoni. 
,, Boliviensis x B. Sedeni. 
1872. 
4 
,, Sedenii x B. A r eitchii. 
1874. 
5 
,, Clarkei x B. Sedeni . 
1874. 
6 
,, Chelsoni x B. cinnabarina. 
1875. 
7 
,, Sedenii x B. Pearcei. 
1876. 
8 
,, intermedia x B. Sedeni . 
1876. 
9 
,, Sedenii x B. intermedia. 
1878. 
10 
, Monarch x B. Sedeni. 
1877. 
11 
,, ATscountess Doneraile x B. seedling. 
1880. 
12 
,, Clarkei x B. Chelsoni. 
1877. 
13 
,, Kallista. 
,, Sedenii x B. Stella. 
1876. 
14 
,, Queen of AA 7 hites. 
Light-coloured varieties of B. rosaeflora. 
1878. 
15 
,, Admiration. 
B. Excelsior x B. Davisii. 
1881. 
16 
,, rosseflora x B. seedling . 
1880. 
17 
,, Aliss Constance A r eitch. 
,, Davisii x B. seedling. 
1880. 
18 
,, Airs. Arthur Potts . 
,, Davisii x B. seedling. 
1882. 
We need, perhaps, scarcely go into particulars re¬ 
specting the whole of these hybrids, as many of them 
are not now to be found in trade lists, but a few for 
special reasons may be alluded to. B. intermedia bore 
flowers which closely resembled those of its male parent, 
but darker in colour. Chelsoni, sent out the same year, 
was a pale orange-scarlet:- Vesuvius was the next step 
in advance, and is still valued as a robust and useful 
bedder, having bright orange-scarlet flowers. Acme, a 
purplish carmine, is still much grown ; and Monarch 
was a brilliant vermilion-scarlet. Viscountess Doneraile, 
the result of crossing the last-named with B. Sedeni, is 
destined to play an important part in the future history 
of the Begonia, it being one of the parents of Begonia 
John Heal, a variety raised by Mr. Heal, another of 
Messrs. Veitch’s clever foremen, and which gives promise 
of being the first of an entirely new race of winter-flower¬ 
ing varieties ; however, of this more anon. Emperor, 
orange-scarlet and a fine bedding variety, was the 
largest-flowered form raised in the Messrs. Veitch’s 
nursery, and when sent out was considered a magnificent 
variety, and marked a wonderful stride forward. The 
next, and certainly one of the most valuable varieties 
of the series, was Queen of the Whites, sent out in 
1878 at half a guinea each. This some growers consider 
to be a white form of B. Veitchii, and further, that it 
should have been called B. Veitchii alba ; but be that 
as it may, its parentage is well known, it having been 
obtained by intercrossing light coloured varieties 
obtained from B. rosaeflora, and from it (Queen of the 
Whites) the present race of white-flowering Begonias 
have sprung. (To be continued). 
-- 
Hardening §[iscellany. 
Mauve Beauty Stock.— To those who have not 
yet grown this very fine ten-week Stock, let me say ‘ ‘ try 
it.” I have cultivated it ever since it was sent out by 
Mr. Richard Dean, and my neighbours and friends now 
all grow it, especially those who exhibit Stocks in 
July or August. It is a compact-growing variety, not 
very tall, throwing an immense head of flowers under 
good culture, the few lateral shoots forming the base of 
a fine pyramidal spike of flowers, which are of a most 
pleasing blue-lilac shade of colour. It is a grand 
variety for exhibiting.— Exhibitor. 
Grafting Permanent Vines. — How often the 
question arises, “What shall I do with it?” when 
any particular kind of Grape has failed to give satis¬ 
faction. When in one of the vineries at Springhouse 
recently, I was forcibly impressed with the manner in 
which Air. Ives works his Vines, and which is worthy 
of imitation by those who do not already follow the 
plan. “I see, you practice a little on the long-rod 
system, Mr. Ives,” said I, noticing a couple of fine 
young rods of last summer’s growth trained up along¬ 
side what I took to be their parents. “Well, no, not 
exactly,” he replied, “those young rods are grafts 
of last spring worked upon the bottom laterals at the 
base of the Black Hamburghs, which are doomed. The 
second year, these young rods or grafts will again be 
pruned to one eye, and allowed, like history, to repeat 
themselves. The third year, the old rods of Black 
Hamburgh, or whatever sort it may be, will be care¬ 
fully cut out at the junction, and the young or three 
years’ grafted rods will take their places. Providing 
the rods and the borders are all right, we never uproot, 
and do not have blank places of Grapes, which would 
be the case if we uprooted the Vines, or cut the old 
rods down to the grafts the first year.” This is what 
I should call killing two birds with one stone.— B. L. 
Primula, The Queen. —Among Primulas of 
recent introduction, The Queen may truly be described 
as a perfect gem. It is a magnificent Fern-leaved 
variety with white flowers, relieved with a'large yellow 
eye, compact in habit of growth, and many of the 
flowers measuring over 2 ins. across. The trusses of 
flowers are borne well above the foliage, and when fully 
developed makes a charming plant for table or room 
decoration, for which purpose Iffind them very useful. 
Ho doubt, when this Primula is better known, it will 
become an universal favourite. I may mention that 
I bought the seed of Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons.—- 
IV. Driver, Longfords, Minchinhampton. 
Tree Ferns at Chiswick. —After the close of 
the Colonial Exhibition at South Kensington, most of 
the fine collection of Dicksonias, Cyatheas, Todeas 
and other Ferns were removed to the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society’s Garden at Chiswick. Those that were 
retained at Chiswick, and had not to pass through the 
trying ordeal of a sojourn at the Exhibition, now look 
healthy, green and respectable ; although they cannot 
be said to have regained their pristine vigour, because 
too recently removed from their native wilds. The 
effects of the dry, draughty and generally ungenial 
atmosphere, however, are but too painfully evident in 
the specimens that have been brought back. The 
fronds, in most cases, have a brown and scorched 
appearance, especially about the tips of the pinnae ; but 
their case is infinitely better than those few left at 
Kensington till quite recently. During the destructive 
snowstorm of the 26th December, the snow collected on 
the roof of the house adjoining the Hew Zealand 
Fernery, and, after a time, pitched bodily down on 
the glass roof, which collapsed, working great havoc 
amongst the Ferns that had not then been removed. 
Splinters of wood, glass and iron were forcibly driven 
into their crowns, in some instances to a considerable 
depth, so that much careful treatment will be necessary 
to re-establish them on their former footing.— J. F. 
Tuberous Begonias. —I strongly suspect that 
the merits of these as summer bedding decorative 
plants are very little known, and yet they can now be 
obtained at such cheap prices as to be within the reach 
of all. I, last summer, saw a bed of tuberous Begonias 
on the lawn in Air. E. Cooling’s nursery, Derby, which 
eclipsed all the other beds in brightness, as well as in 
the pleasing shades of colour of the flowers ; and as the 
tubers last year after year if proper care is taken, the 
first cost of the roots is the only outlay beyond the 
preparation of the beds and a little labour. That it is a 
summer out-door plant, we have annually proof enough 
at the Stanstead Park nurseries, Forest Hill, London, 
where Alessrs. Laing & Co. plant out every year quite 
100,000 plants of seedling and named sorts ; and really 
fine varieties in colours for massing can now be obtained 
at from 4s. to 6s. per dozen, and less by the hundred. 
At these low prices, a trial bed is not a costly matter, 
and within the reach of a large number of amateur 
gardeners. — W. D. IV. 
Colouring Lime-washed Walls.—Whilst 
the stormy wintry weather continues the overhauling 
of plant houses and vineries will be in full swing; 
rubbing, scrubbing and scraping being the order of the 
day. Amongst the many odd jobs that will claim 
attention is the limewashing of back walls of lean-to 
houses, potting sheds and offices connected therewith, 
one and all having its annual dressing to make all sweet 
and clean for the time being. In some places white 
walls are an objectionable feature, and the prevailing 
colour used to tone down the whiteness is Venetian red, 
1 oz. or 2 ozs. of which is mixed in the can or pail of 
limewash before using. AATiat I recommend is, that 
whatever the colouring ingredient used may be, 2 ozs. or 
3 ozs. of alum should be boiled in two quarts of water, 
and well mixed with the whole before using it.— B. L. 
Osmunda regalis palustris. —Perhaps this 
Fern is not unfamiliar to many readers of The Gar¬ 
dening AYorld, but cannot be too well known or too 
frequently cultivated under whatever name it may be 
.grown. It is merely a variety of the widely distributed 
O. regalis, but is very distinct in all stages of its growth, 
but particularly so in a young state. The whole frond 
in the latter condition is reddish, but the petiole retains 
this colour in the mature state, and is much more slender, 
dwarfer and more graceful than the type. It is perfectly 
hardy, but merits cultivation in pots, and is extremely 
appropriate for indoor decoration. To those who pos¬ 
sess the ordinary form this will prove perfectly distinct, 
and a valuable addition to the collection. Some healthy 
specimens are grown in the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
gardens at Chiswick. 
Pancratium fragrans. —The usual flowering 
period of this useful species is summer, varying in 
individual bulbs according to their condition from 
Alay to August. Its pure white flowers were very 
conspicuous the other day at Devonhurst, Chiswick, 
where it showed up to the best advantage amongst a 
collection chiefly of foliage plants, but seemed out of 
season according to its usual custom. The foliage is 
evergreen, but the young leaves and the flowers are 
contemporaneous, and Air. "Wright, the gardener, 
observes that the flowers are more decidedly fragrant in 
summer than when developed during the dull winter 
months. The -whole plant is compact for a subject of 
this class, and a figure of it will be found in Loddiges’ 
Botanical Cabinet, 834. 
Blenheim Orange Melon. —I was glad to see 
your remarks on this splendid Alelon in a recent 
issue, and hope you will allow me, through your valued 
columns, to bear testimony to the very high qualities 
of this truly first-class variety. I have grown it for 
the last few years, and find it to be one of the very 
best of Alelons ; the appearance and flavour could not 
be excelled. All lovers of Alelons ought to give this 
variety a trial.— T. S. Murphy, Cleveland Lodge, Great 
Ay ton. 
British Plants. —The large room of the Birming¬ 
ham Gardeners’ Society, at the last meeting, was “ hung 
around,” not with “ pikes and bows,” but with a curtain 
of green baize, on which were exhibited 300 admirably 
mounted specimens of British plants collected in Sutton- 
Coldfield district by the exhibitor, Air. James Brishton, 
who is a working man following the occupation of groom 
and gardener at "Wylde Green, near Birmingham. Very 
great credit is due to him for having collected and 
cleverly mounted this collection during the year 1SS6, 
in order to compete for a special prize offered by Air. 
AVood for exhibition at the general meeting. Each 
specimen was in excellent condition, easily recognised, 
and mounted on good sized cardboard, with botanical 
and English names affixed. 
Ariatnlouhipi, elegans. —A Georgetown corre¬ 
spondent of the American Gardeners’ Monthly, who 
sent seeds of this plant to Europe in the winter of 
1882-83, contributes the following particulars respecting 
its origin and cultivation :—“ In the winter of 1SS2, 
my then employer, Prof. Richardson, Hew Orleans, 
handed me a paper of seed he had just received from a 
lady friend in Brazil, without name, but represented 
as the prettiest flower in that country. I took an 
interest in it, and after the plants came up, I potted 
them off in thumbs, and put them on the bench in the 
propagating house, when they stubbornly refused to 
grow any more. In making room, some time after, I 
put them outside in a cool frame, where they almost 
immediately commenced to move and push roots 
through the pots. I then placed three small pi ants in 
