April 16, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
523 
Mesembryanthemum muricatum. —A very 
pretty evergreen species that is now flowering freely in 
a warm greenhouse under ordinary treatment. The 
various colours found in this plant give a nice effect. 
The young stems are reddish, the leaves glaucous, and 
the flowers have petals of a light pink colour, with a 
large cluster of delicate yellow stamens in the centre. 
It is of trailing habit, and very effective when allowed 
to droop down from pots suspended from the roof of t 
the house. — M. Barker, The Gardens, TFatcombe Park, 
Torquay. 
Linum trigynum.— We usually see this plant 
grown in a 5-in. or 6-in. pot for flowering at this 
season of the year, and it may, therefore, be new and 
interesting to some to know that it succeeds most ad¬ 
mirably when planted out in a warm conservatory. 
When this plant is healthy, its dark green foliage looks 
well, but not only will it grow most luxuriantly under 
this treatment, but it will produce an abundance of its 
lovely yellow flowers at short intervals all the year round. 
After a batch of flowers has disappeared, it will only be 
necessary to pinch the young growth back a little, and 
give an occasional ^watering with liquid manure.— M. 
Barker, The Gardens, TFatcombe Park, Torquay. 
The best Crotons for Table Decoration 
and General Decorative Purposes. —For the 
former purpose I select as the best, Majesticus, Weis- 
mannii, Interruptus aureus, Elegantissimus, Countess, 
Rodeckianus, Lady Zetland, Prince of Wales, Princess 
of Wales, Johaimis, nobilis, Warrenii, Picturatus, 
Chelsoni and Droustii. Then of those that are adapted 
for general decorative purposes, we may mention 
Evansianus, Fordii, D’lsraeli, Lord Derby, Williamsii, 
Imperator or Challenger, mutabilis or princeps, Queen 
Victoria, Baronne J. de Rothschild, Bergmanuii, 
Triumphans or Harwoodianus, latimaeulatus, Sunset, 
Stewartii, Mortii and Massangeanus. For table plants 
and, indeed, for exhibition and decorative purposes, I 
think Crotons look decidedly best when grown to a 
single stem. The splendid specimens Messrs. R. P. 
Ker & Co., of Liverpool, show at the great Manchester 
exhibitions are grown in this way, and nothing can possi¬ 
bly be more effective and striking. A number of young 
plants should be raised annually by anyone who 
makes frequent use of them.— B. D. 
Galanthus plicatus. —This rare species is some¬ 
times considered as a variety of G. nivalis, but the 
characters of the foliage give it a distinctness which 
makes it unmistakeable when seen alongside of the 
latter and its more closely-related forms. The leaves 
are of great breadth, and characterised by a more or 
less evident intramarginal plait or ridge on each side of 
the midrib. They are usually of a light green colour, 
unlike the narrow glaucous leaves of G. nivalis ; but a 
vigorous well-flowered specimen at Pendell Court, 
Bletchingley, seems more of a glaucous tint than 
ordinary. The inner segments of the perianth stand 
erect, like those of G. Elwesi. 
Azalea Jean Vervsene. —The proneness of 
Azaleas to sport in the matter of colour is amply 
illustrated at Tower House, Chiswick, the property of 
J. Donaldson, Esq. The normal or prevailing colour 
of the variety under notice is soft pinkish red, with 
broad irregular white margins, which give the flowers 
a variegated appearance. The blooms are double, and 
their singularity and interesting character is greatly 
augmented by numerous self-coloured red flowers 
scattered irregularly over a medium-sized flowering 
bush. 
Tacsonia exoniensis. —I dare say some of your 
readers will be prepared to disagree with my estimate 
of this fine and showy conservatory climber; but for 
freedom of bloom and effectiveness, I put it before 
T. van Volxemi. When in Derbyshire, last summer, I 
saw, in the conservatory of Willersley Castle, Cromford, 
three or four large plants that had made a free growth, 
and were flowering grandly and persistently ; in fact, 
the wealth of bloom appeared inexhaustible. All the 
management the plants required was a little training 
of the shoots so as to keep them distributed, and 
taking care ample supplies of water were given to the 
root. In early winter the leading branches are 
trimmed back a bit, and that is really all the pruning 
given. An occasional supply of weak liquid manure is 
found of great advantage. I met with it also in other 
places. I remember that Mr. J. Tegg has it very fine 
at Bearwood. There is this further apparent advan¬ 
tage about T. exoniensis, it seems to do better in a 
cooler temperature than does T. van Volxemi. But 
this is a statement open to some degree of challenge I 
have no doubt.— R. D. 
FLORICULTURE. 
Double Fuchsia, Champion of the World.— I 
wonder who raised this remarkable floral phenomenon ? 
It is a large double variety, with scarlet tube and 
sepals, and a huge bunch of purple corollas. That is 
what it really amounts to. If anyone, who can obtain 
a bloom of it, will measure it, they will find the pro¬ 
portions truly astonishing. It is a Goliath among 
double Fuchsias, and an Anak among the largest of 
them. Looking round a spacious square conservatory 
last summer, I saw several old plants of this Fuchsia 
growing in pots—they must have been several years 
old, judging from the size of their main trunks, and 
they were rarely potted ; the gardener, who was grow¬ 
ing them, contented himself with top-soiling the pots 
every year, and feeding them with liquid manure or a 
little guano when they were coming into bloom. It is 
one of those fine places that is open to the general 
public on certain days in the week, and the gardener 
told me that of all his flowering plants the visitors 
most admired these huge Fuchsias. I did not wonder 
at it. I do not think I ever saw flowers so large before, 
and at the same time so full and symmetrical. This 
particularly large double Fuchsia is best adapted for 
conservatory decoration.— R. D. 
Zonal Pelargonium, Punch.— I met with a gar¬ 
dener the other day who was anxiously enquiring 
whether he could obtain some cuttings of this once- 
popular Zonal Pelargonium. He was desirous of 
obtaining it in order to form some huge pyramids— 
doing this by training the shoots round some elongated 
sphere. As a matter of course, to do this properly, 
the plants should be three or four years old, with some 
good, hard and well-ripened wood in them. I can 
remember Punch, a very strong grower, with large 
woolly leaves and huge trusses of crimson flowers. I 
dare say it could be met with in old-fashioned gardens. 
I saw a gentleman’s mansion last summer, against the 
front wall of which were placed boxes of old Zonal 
Pelargoniums with well-ripened shoots, and these were 
nailed up against the wall. They put forth young 
growths that flowered enormously, and made a great 
display all the summer.— R. D. 
--- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Salt in Orchid Houses. —Seeing the robust 
condition of my Orchids, and especially the Odonto- 
glossums and Phalsenopsis, which make immense bulbs 
and very stout flower spikes, others beside yourself 
have asked me whether I used artificial manures. My 
reply is that after making a few experiments, and 
watching the result of experiments elsewhere, I came 
to the conclusion that it was too dangerous a practice, 
and I, therefore, never took to it. There is one thing, 
however, which I do in the Phalfenopsis and Odonto- 
glossum houses, and from which I am inclined to think 
the plants in my charge get great benefit. Formerly 
I was greatly troubled by the slugs eating the flower 
spikes of the Odontoglossums and other things, and 
also with the green growing on the shingle over which 
the plants stood ; so I had it all taken out and washed 
in very strong salt and water, thinking it would do 
away with the slugs, and also stop the greening over of 
the shingle. It had the desired effect, and has, I believe, 
also a very beneficial effect on the plants, and since 
that time I have occasionally sprinkled a little salt 
on the walks, being careful, however, not to let it 
touch either the plants or the pots. I am only feeling 
my way with it yet ; but, as I said before, I consider 
it highly beneficial, and I mean to try it in the other 
houses, but should like to know whether any of your 
other readers have had experience with salt in Orchid 
houses. Does not rain-water contain more salt in it 
than reservoir or pond water, and is not that one 
reason why it is better for watering plants ? If so, and 
some of your readers can tell how much more salt it 
contains, or whatever chemical ingredient is lacking in 
the other, it might be made up when rain-water runs 
short.— Benj. Searing, The Gardens, Heaton House, 
Cheshunt. 
Lselia euspatha. —This pretty Orchid is in 
flower in the fine collection of R. H. Measures, Esq,, 
at The Woodlands, Streatham. In growth it is much 
like L. grandis. The flowers are in size and shape 
much like L. purpurata Russelliana ; sepals and petal 
bright rose, lip rose with dark crimson throat. A very 
pretty and distinct species. 
Odontoglossum cordatum Kienasti- 
anum.—This seems to be intermediate between 
0. cordatum and 0. maculatum. The sepals are quite 
those of 0. cordatum, but rather more barred with 
chestnut-brown than in the type ; the petals are bright 
light yellow, with brown spots near the column ; and 
the lip, instead of being white as in 0. cordatum, is 
pale yellow, and in form and in the disposition of the 
brown blotches at its serrated margin bears much 
resemblance to 0. maculatum. It is in flower with 
A. H. Smee, Esq., at The Grange, Hackbridge, and 
also with R. H. Measures, Esq. 
-- 
LAW NOTES. 
Another Rating Case. — The Overseers of 
Lewisham v. Henry James Cobb. —This was an ap¬ 
plication made on the 6th inst. at the Greenwich 
Police Court by the overseers for payment of £2 11s. 
rates in respect of defendant’s cottage and nursery 
grounds, Derby Villas Nursery, Forest Hill. Mr. 
Cox well, 15, Walbrook, appeared for Mr. Cobb, and 
contended that according to the recent decision in the 
case of Purser v. the Worthing Local Board (see p. 
477), Mr. Cobb could only be assessed in respect of the 
nursery grounds at one-fourth only, but as regards the 
cottage occupied by him at the full value. Mr. Chitty, 
the collector, opposed on the ground that there was 
one assessment only. Mr. Montagu Williams con¬ 
sidered there should be separate assessments for the 
land and the cottage, and having referred to the 
Inhabited House Duty Act, 1857, adjourned the 
summons for a week to allow the parties to come to 
terms. When the case was resumed on Wednesday 
last, it was contended on behalf of Mr. Cobb that under 
Section 211 of the Public Health Act, he was entitled 
to be rated at only one-fourth of the assessment for his 
nursery grounds ; but it was objected that the Public 
Health Act did not apply to the metropolitan district, 
except where specially provided, and that an objection 
which was raised to the mode of assessment would be 
outside his worship’s jurisdiction. Mr. Montagu Wil¬ 
liams did not consider his court was the place to decide 
the question Mr. Cobb raised, and made an order for 
payment of the rates, remarking that the case at 
Worthing, to which reference was made last week, did 
not appear to be exactly like the present one, as he 
believed there was no dwelling-house on the property 
in that instance. It was intimated that possibly there 
would be an appeal against his worship’s decision. 
-- 
The Gardeners' Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Carnations. —The whole of the stock of Carnations 
must now be gone over, as, at this season, green-fly is 
apt to attack them, and, if neglected, much injury is 
done to the young growth and foliage. We generally 
mix a lump of soft-soap in some soft water and dip the 
plants in, afterwards rinsing them in clear water ; 
sometimes it is necessary to repeat the operation, but 
not often, if taken in time. The plants should now be 
re-staked. All the Souvenir de la Malmaison type are of 
heavy growth, and need to be firmly secured to keep 
them in proper position ; our plants are now growing 
freely, and have been thus attended to. We propa¬ 
gated as freely as we could that grand yellow, Pride of 
Penshurst. It strikes very freely, and is worthy of all 
the care that can be bestowed upon it. What nicer 
button-hole bouquet, arranged with its own leaves, can 
be made ? Few indeed. 
We annually sow a few packets of seed, and as a rule 
obtain some extremely useful flowers from them. We 
have already potted off a good batch of this season's 
seedlings of The Bride and Le Grenadin ; which, if 
kept shifted on, make fine plants for flowering next 
spring, and are much appreciated. Those of good 
form and growth are propagated, while, as a matter of 
course, many are single, and consequently worthless ; 
still we are amply repaid by some really excellent 
flowers. There are now many grand varieties to select 
from them, but to all who may take them in hand let 
me say avoid all coddling; let the house in which they 
are staged be kept quite cool and freely ventilated, or 
