February 26, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
411 
white externally, and yellow internally, bearing from 
five to seven ridges on its middle, resembling the jaws 
of an animal when the whole flower is in a natural 
position.— Rcichenbachia, t. 18. 
-■*->:£<-- 
Hardening §[iscellany. 
A Gardeners’ Orphanage. —With reference 
to my suggestions for a gardeners’ orphanage, I may 
say that I have already received a certain number of 
promises of support if the idea can be successfully 
developed ; and I shall be glad to hear from any gar¬ 
dener in the country, who is ready and willing to assist 
me in drawing up the plans. There is an old proverb, 
that “he gives twice who gives quickly,” and, there¬ 
fore, in the interests of the poor children, I am anxious 
that whatever is done should be done at once. The 
first annual subscription promised came from Mr. 
E. J. Beale, of the firm of Messrs. James Carter & Co. ; 
and the second from Mr. William Bull, Chelsea. 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, promise a donation 
of £10 ; and I have had mosf encouraging letters from 
Messrs. Veitch&Sons, Chelsea ; Messrs. H. Low& Co., 
Clapton Nurseries ; and several influential gardeners, 
who are willing to join in supporting the scheme.— 
C. Penny, Sandringham. 
Todeasuperba. —Amongsta considerable number 
of specimens of this prepossessing Eilmy Fern at the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens, Chiswick, forms 
may be noticed apparently intermediate in character 
between the type and T. hymenophylloides. T. superba 
itself is closely allied to the latter, and differs chiefly 
in having more numerous and densely arranged pinnae 
and pinnules. In good typical specimens the pinnules 
are so numerous that they cannot all be accommodated in 
one plant, and from this fact many of them project at 
right angles to the upper surface of the frond, giving 
the whole a massive and plumy appearance. The 
pinnae and pinnules of T. hymenophylloides are easily 
accommodated in one plant, giving the frond a thin and 
membraneous appearance, which probably suggested the 
specific name, T. pellucida, sometimes given to it. The 
intermediate forms have flat pinnae, notwithstanding 
their much-divided and segmented character. The 
whole are grown in a house with a northern aspect, 
kept constantly moist, but without the aid of glass 
cases. 
Osborn’s Dwarf Kidney Bean.— I have for 
the past three years grown this old variety, and have 
depended entirely upon it for our early and late supply 
of this much-esteemed vegetable ; and although I have 
at different times given other sorts a trial, none do I 
find so good and so useful as this. It crops wonderfully 
heavy, the pods are of medium size, cook well, and 
growing about 10 ins. high, makes it all the more 
suitable for growing in pots. "We generally grow our 
first batch in 6-in. pots, but afterwards sow three 
seeds in 3-in. pots, and as soon as the plants are about 
4 ins. high we plant them out in beds, allowing a 
distance of 14 ins. between each. At the time of 
planting a few twiggy branches are placed around them 
to keep the plants upright when bearing. Beans grow 
and bear freely in a night temperature of 55° to 60°, 
with a rise, of 10° to 15° in the daytime, according to 
the state of the weather, and with plenty of moisture 
on bright days.— H. Markham, Merewortlu Castle. 
Lachenalia Nelsoni. —The best examples of 
this golden yellow Lachenalia we have seen are in the 
gardens of Sydney Courtauld, Esq., at Booking Place, 
Braintree. They have each two or three dozen spikes 
in a 32-sized pot. A specimen of it in a vase in the 
house well displays its beauty and durability as a plant 
for indoor decoration, the profusion of golden yellow 
flowers contrasting well with the green and purple 
spotted foliage. 
Hymenocallis macrostephana.— The flowers 
of this plant are much larger than those of Pancratium 
fragrans, which is a closely-allied subject, flowering at 
various periods of the year. The fragrance of H. 
macrostephana, together with its large pure white 
flowers, aided by the great spreading corona, makes it 
a favourite at Syon House, where Mr. "Woodbridge 
grows it as a speciality for cut-flower purposes. Their 
duration is comparatively short, either in a cut or 
uncut state, but their striking and distinct appearance 
will always tell in their favour. A great part of one 
house is occupied by bulbs in pots plunged in a bed, 
and the ample and healthy character of the foliage 
bespeaks the treatment they receive. This species is 
figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 6436. 
Boronia megastigma.— The presence of this 
plant would hardly be detected amongst others, even 
when in full flower, were it not for the delicious odour 
emanating from the small inconspicuous flowers. The 
latter are brown externally, pale yellow internally, 
and hang downwards. All of these characters render 
them obscure and insignificant ; so that the sole re¬ 
deeming feature of this plant for cultural purposes 
resides in the fragrance of the expanded blooms. By 
this alone its presence is detected in a house amongst 
many flowering plants at Syon House, Isleworth. 
Cyclamen ibericum. —A cheerful and spring¬ 
like appearance is produced by this early-flowering 
species on the rockery at Chiswick, where it rejoices in 
the name C. courn verum, under which it is figured in 
Regcl’s Gartenflora, t. 370, and which seems to be the 
one most generally adopted in this country. The 
leathery orbicular leaves are deep green zoned, with 
grey on the upper surface accompanying the rosy purple 
flowers. The latter are characterised by a more inten¬ 
sified colour at the base. The beautiful C. Atkinsii, 
wflth white flowers and a purple blotch at the base, is 
flowering in a cold frame. 
Iberis saxatilis. —The flower-buds of this slender, 
procumbent and truly Alpine Candytuft, are always 
well advanced in autumn, and consequently require only 
the encouragement of a cold frame to develope their 
pure white flowers. It has been, and will continue for 
many weeks in this condition at Chiswick, in a pit with 
a north aspect. The plant also succeeds there on the 
rockery ; and the original specimens were brought from 
the mountaius of Greece by Mr. G. Maw. 
Camellia reticulata is a grand old variety when 
seen in a tree state, like that now in full bloom in the 
Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It is a standard tree 
in a large tub, its head being quite 10 ft. in diameter, 
and had fully 500 buds and expanded blooms upon it. 
The tree is in excellent health, the flowers have been 
full-sized, and this fine old Camellia has been greatly 
admired. 
Primula imperialis. —Mr. J. G. Baker, of Kew, 
exhibited a dried specimen of this species at a meeting 
of the Linmean Society on the 17th inst. It has not 
yet been imported alive to this country, but its advent 
may be anticipated. Mr. Baker described it as a giant 
among its kind. That shown was a yard in height, or 
nearly so. The' species is the most outlying repre¬ 
sentative of the Indo-Chinese types inhabiting the 
mountains of Java at elevations ranging from 4000 ft. to 
7000 ft. It resembles a giant P. japonica closely, but 
the leaves are more finely and regularly denticulate, the 
flowers are borne in similar whorls, but are smaller, and 
the calyx is covered with a yellow mealy substance, 
while the calyx of P. japonica has no such covering 
externally. 
Small Orange Trees. —Attempts have fre¬ 
quently been made in this country to cultivate Orange 
trees from seed with a view to fruit them. This will 
probably continue to be the case, notwithstanding that 
the matter is frequently' noticed and condemned in the 
gardening papers. Small specimens, not exceeding a 
foot in height, with three or four branches and as 
many fruits, have been very attractive all the winter 
amongst a varied collection of flowering plants at 
Devonhurst, Chiswick. These specimens are grafted, 
as all Oranges ought to be if they are required to fruit 
in a small state. They are again showing flower, and 
the effect produced by flowers and fruit on such small 
specimens may be imagined. Mr. Wright may justly 
be proud of them. 
Ixoras at Gunnersbury Park. —The amount 
of cut blooms annually obtained from these, and the 
healthy clean appearance of the plants themselves 
reflect great credit on Mr. Roberts and his staff. ' The 
method of treatment is a good index of the success 
attained in their cultivation. After the flowering 
season is over, large and over-grown specimens are 
discarded to make room for younger ones in different 
successive stages. These are vigorously cut back, 
re-potted, and plunged or stood on a hot-bed of cow- 
manure, under which hot-water pipes are conducted so 
as to regulate and augment the heat as that of the 
hot-bed declines. The latter is cleared out annually, 
and the bed thoroughly cleaned so as to eradicate any 
vermin that may have taken up their abode there. 
Fresh manure is introduced, and the plants after 
having been pruned and re-potted are stood on the 
bed or plunged according to the degree of heat. The 
amount of the latter enjoyed by the roots of Ixoras 
would be fatal to most other plants, but it acts bene¬ 
ficially on these. Convincing proof of this is not 
wanting in the free growth and abundance of cut- 
flowers obtained from the plants in the course of the 
season. 
Narcissusmoschatus tortuosus.— Mr. Geo. 
Maw showed some flowering bulbs of this Narcissus at 
a meeting of the Linnsean Society on the 17th inst. It 
differs from the type in the more drooping flower, and 
in the segments being somewhat twisted or longitudi¬ 
nally revolute at the margin. Mr. Maw says it is the 
only white Daffodil known to botanists at the present 
day in a wild state, and his bulbs were collected in the 
Val d’Arras, Pyrenees. The older botanists knew four 
or five white species. That under notice is generally 
grown in gardens under the name of N. cernuus, but 
the N. cernuus of Salisbury, figured in Wilkomm’s 
Illustrated Florae Hispanicce, Tom. T., 1881-85, t. 74, is 
a very different plant, allied to N. triandrus. Mr. 
Baker pointed out its true affinity as a variety of N. 
moschatus. 
Gros Colmar Grape. — Evidently your corre¬ 
spondent, Mr. James B. Riding, has not as yet tasted 
this variety at its best, or I feel sure he would form 
quite a contrary opinion from that which he now holds. 
There can be no doubt about its not doing well in 
many places; indeed, it may be said to be the exception 
and not the rule to meet with it in first-rate condition, 
hence the frequency of condemnatory remarks in the 
gardening papers. Some few weeks ago, I had the 
pleasure of paying a visit to Clarendon Park, Salisbury, 
and of meeting with it in the very pink of condition, 
that is to say, the berries were as black as Sloes and 
coloured up to the footstalks, and I can honestly say, 
of first-rate flavour. Previously, I had had but a very 
poor opinion of Gros Colmar, but on this occasion it 
was greatly modified, and I do not doubt the same will 
be the case with your correspondent when he has 
tasted equally well-grown bunches.— J. Horsefield, 
Hcytesbury. 
Azalea Deutsche Perle. —I send you a bloom of 
Azalea Deutsche Perle, of which we have a large quantity 
in flower and bud. Is it not a grand thing ? better 
than Eucharis or Camellias. It can be forced very early. 
— D. T. [Deutsche Perle is one of the finest “ decora¬ 
tive ” Azaleas that has ever been introduced, and too 
much cannot be said in its praise. It is a good free 
grower, a free bloomer, comes in early, and is well 
adapted for forcing, and its large semi-double flowers 
are of the purest white.-— Ed.] 
Why don’t Peaches thrive outside now ? 
—I can remember when we used to gather the Royal 
George, Noblesse, and other Peaches in first-class style, 
both for size, colouring, and ripening outside ; they, 
indeed, compared equally with many now grown under 
glass. At this time the trees gave not only a few good 
specimens of fruit, but literally basketfuls ; and the 
period in question extended from the y'ear 1860 to 
1870. Before that time I cannot say, from experience, 
if they had thriven so well. A marked change took 
place, beginning about the end of the latter year, and 
ever since not only did these crops diminish in quantity 
annually, but now, in the same garden, the trees them¬ 
selves refuse to grow. Each year saw the verdant trees 
on the wall torn away piece by piece, leaving only a 
wretched half dead stem, with few limbs, boldly 
struggling for existence, at varied intervals, until at 
length their increasing unsightliness occasioned their 
entire removal. While undergoing this change, they 
were devastated by all manner of diseases and insect 
pests, such as red spider, green and brown aphis, and 
that strange disease, caused by a fungus, which results 
in the curling and thickening of the leaves. It was 
interesting to see the action of this disease upon the 
leaves in some seasons. As a rule, the whole of them 
were attacked and ultimately fell off, new ones taking 
their place ; and often many were only affected on one 
side of the mid-rib, giving that side, in some cases, not 
less than 4 ins. in breadth. 
Not only is this change felt in Scotland, but likewise 
in the greater part of England. In Herefordshire I 
noted several instances of this, some cases worse than 
in Scotland ; and the same tale was related to me there, 
