April 23,1887. THE GARDENING WORLD, 
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will not be of quite so substantial a character as the 
first crop, but they will, nevertheless, be found ex¬ 
tremely useful for associating at this season with such 
things as Riehardias, Eucharis, &c. 
If attended to as follows, even one fairly strong plant 
may be kept in bloom during the whole of the 
time stated. When the first inflorescence is cut, say in 
November, water should be gradually withheld, not, 
however, to the extent of ignoring the remaining bracts 
or causing the foliage to fall, but so arrange matters, 
that by the time the last bract is cut the soil shall be 
quite dry. By this time small secondary bracts will 
be making their appearance along the wood from which 
the forward ones were cut ; now syringe the plant 
heavily, only giving sufficient water at the root to 
retain the foliage, which we find absolutely essential to 
the production of a future crop of flowers ; for if too 
severe a check is applied, massive bracts are not de¬ 
veloped to anything like the extent they would be by 
retaining the foliage. During the growth of the in¬ 
florescence a weak solution of guano is appreciated, and 
visibly affects both the size and colour of the same. 
A temperature of 50° by night and 65° by day should, 
if possible, be maintained, and the wood from which 
the bracts are expected be kept well up to the light. 
By repeating this treatment, that is, watering at the 
root and syringing the foliage during the growth of the 
flowers and withholding when the great majority are 
cut, a succession may be obtained until the proper time 
arrives for the plant to be hand-pruned, previous to the 
commencement of the growth from which bracts are ex¬ 
pected the following seasons. 
I enclose you a bract or two of the third cutting to 
which a plant has been subjected, the first flowers from 
which were cut on Nov. loth, and which has never been 
entirely without bloom since. It covers a roof span in 
a small Cucumber house of 5 ft. by 4 ft., and up to the 
present we have cut from it sixty-eight bracts, some of 
the first crop measuring 18 ins. in diameter. I mention 
this fact lest the treatment recommended should be 
deemed injurious. The plant was treated on exactly 
similar lines last year, and the result has been as here 
described, while it is now carrying fifteen bracts similar 
to those enclosed.— J. H. H. [The inflorescences sent 
were very good indeed, considering the advanced 
period of the year. Some of the individual bracts 
measured 4 ins. to 6J ins. in length, which when fresh 
would have given heads of no mean breadth and 
appearance.—E d.] 
-- 
LARGE-FLOWERED OR SHOW 
PELARGONIUMS. 
This is one of the best seasons of the year in which 
to obtain small plants from a nursery, because they are 
just coming into bloom. If in 48-sized pots it will be 
found that they are competent to carry the plants 
through the blooming season, provided they are looked 
after in the matter of watering, that they have such 
supplies of air as they need, and are kept free from 
green-fly. Anyone requiring a good selection will find 
them in the following :—Amethyst (Brehaut), rich 
purple with deep maroon top petals ; Brilliant (Foster), 
rich scarlet, extra fine ; Claribel (Hoyle), pure white ; 
Despot (Foster), deep crimson, extra fine ; Fortitude 
(Foster), orange, black spot on top petals, extra fine ; 
Illuminator (Foster), bright vermilion-scarlet, rich and 
glossy ; Maid of Honour (Foster), pink, with dark 
maroon top petals ; Pericles (Hoyle), French white, 
dark top petals ; Ritualist (Foster), rosy pink lower 
petals, very fine ; Statesman (Foster), pale rose; 
Virgin Queen (Smith), pure -white with purplish 
carmine spots on the top petals; and Vivid, deep 
orange-scarlet, dwarf and very free. 
Plants of Pelargoniums grow quickly at this season 
of the year. In order to prevent their drawing, they 
should have plenty of room and a free circulation of 
air. In the case of large plants—half or full speci¬ 
mens—the side branches should be tied out to large 
stakes, in order that the centre of the plants may be 
left as open as possible to admit of space for the 
development of the rising shoots. Green-fly becomes 
very troublesome to Pelargoniums, and must be closely 
watched for. Some shading is also necessary, for if 
hot sunshine fall upon the plants through the glass, 
the flowers are soon scorched, while a little shading 
prolongs their beauty. Watering must be well 
attended to, because Pelargoniums are free rooters, and 
soon fill the pots with them ; but if the soil is allowed 
to become dry, the foliage is soon disfigured. 
Large-flowering Pelargoniums are well adapted for 
cool greenhouse and conservatory decoration, and yet 
the wonder is they are so little grown. Some persons 
say, “We object to Pelargoniums and Calceolarias 
both, because they soon become foul with insects ” ; 
but a little judicious fumigation will speedily keep 
them under. The Pelargonium is one of the most 
useful and effective of summer-flowering greenhouse 
plants.— R. D. 
-->*«-- 
SPREKELIA FORMOSISSIMA. 
Those who delight in fancy names may be pleased to 
know that this is called the Jacobaea Lily. As a matter 
of course it is anything but a Lily, as it belongs to the 
Amaryllis family, and was originally named Amaryllis, 
although that genus is now confined to A. Belladonna, 
a native of the Cape. The Jacobaea Lily, on the other 
hand, is a native of South America, and being deciduous, 
is nearly hardy'in this country. Like the Belladonna 
Lily, however, it should be planted in warm situations, 
and, if possible, in front of an early vinery or stove, 
where the heat will act very beneficially in starting it 
into growth early, so as to give it time to make good 
growth and complete it. Our illustration shows a plant 
on a very much reduced scale. The flower scapes are 
produced late in spring or early summer, and bear one 
large bloom of an intense crimson colour. It is needless 
to say the flowers are very conspicuous, owing to their 
magnificent and striking colour, but the irregularity and 
peculiar construction of the flowers are alike remark¬ 
able. The lower segments are much bent down, and 
clasp the stamens in a bundle, as the latter are also 
singularly decimate. The bulbs are well worth growing 
in pots by all possessed of a greenhouse or similar 
structure. 
-~>X<-- 
THE LINDLEY LIBRARY. 
Owing to the death of Mr. Thomas Moore, the 
number of trustees of the Lindley Library (which it 
will be remembered was purchased out of the proceeds 
of the Great International Horticultural Exhibition of 
1866), other than the official ones connected with the 
Royal Horticultural Society, had become reduced to 
two, viz., Dr. Hogg and Dr. Masters, the only survivors 
of the original seven. Under these circumstances it 
became, in the words of the trust deed, “a moral 
obligation ” to fill up the vacancies. This has accord¬ 
ingly been done by the election of three new trustees, 
in the persons of William Carruthers, Esq., President 
of the Linnean Society, Keeper of the Botanical Depart¬ 
ment, British Museum ; George Maw, Esq., F.L.S., of 
Kenley, Surrey : and Harry J. Veitch, Esq., F.L.S., of 
Chelsea. The official trustees are the treasurer and 
secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society for the 
time being. 
Though connected in a measure with the fortunes of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, insomuch that it 
cannot be removed from South Kensington while the 
Society stops there, the Library is essentially an 
independent institution, and is open to the general 
public as well as to Fellows of the Society, under proper 
regulations, and under certain conditions books are 
allowed to be borrowed. The funds at the disposal of 
the trustees are, unfortunately, too small to allow of 
much more than the purchase of periodicals, while the 
room in which it is lodged is so inconvenient of access 
that the utility of the Library is seriously impeded ; 
indeed this is not all, for the room in question being 
used by the council and the scientific committee on the 
regular meeting days of the Society, the Library cannot 
be used by horticulturists on the very days when it 
would be most convenient to them to do so. In any 
change of site or other circumstance connected with 
the Royal Horticultural Society, the question of 
adequate accommodation for the Library and its proper 
maintenance must have earnest consideration. In the 
meantime donations of books or of funds will be thank¬ 
fully welcomed by the trustees. 
-- 
NEW PLANTS CERTIFICATED 
By The Royal Botanic Society, Regent’s Park. 
April 20th, 1887. 
Pteris tremula flaccida. 
This variety is a fine bold form of the type, with the 
pinnules broad and crisped, which gives the plant a 
much more massive appearance than the ordinary form. 
The apex of the pinnae is also greatly elongated ; in 
some cases 2 ins. to 3 ins., which gives them a tailed 
appearance. The typical P. tremula is altogether more 
slender, with paler green fronds. Exhibited by Mr. 
H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane Nursery, Upper Edmonton. 
Botanical Certificate. 
Pteris Mati. 
In this useful decorative Fern the old P. cretica 
albo-lineata is greatly improved. The plant is of dwarf 
compact habit, -with the apex of the frond and the 
pinnae beautifully crested or tasselled. The whole 
breadth of the pinnae is of a pale silvery grey, with a 
narrow green margin ; it is extremely handsome and 
suitable for indoor decorative purposes. Exhibited by 
Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane Nursery, Upper 
Edmonton. Botanical Certificate. 
Primula obtusifolia Gammieana. 
The leaves of this are oblong, blunt and toothed. 
The flowers are borne on a scape about 3 ins. to 6 ins. 
high, and are of a deep purple—some say port wine 
colour, difficult to describe. They are salver-shaped, 
with a flat limb, toothed segments, and a narrow yel¬ 
low eye. The scape and calyx are deep purple. This 
form occurs on the Sikkim Himalayas at an elevation 
of 15,000 ft. in sunny positions, and may, therefore, be 
expected to be hardy. Exhibited by Mr. J. Douglas, 
Great Gearies, Ilford. Botanical Certificate. 
Narcissus cyclamineus. 
For description see p. 518. Exhibited by Messrs. 
Barr & Son. Botanical Certificate. 
Cyclamen persicum majesticum. 
The robust appearance and great size of the flowers 
are the chief features of this variety. The leaves are 
almost orbicular, and of a leathery consistency, while 
the flowers are carried well up on long scapes. The 
segments of the corolla are blush, with a deep purple 
blotch at the base of each. Exhibited by Mr. J. Odell, 
Gould’s Green, Hillingdon. Floricultural Certificate. 
Cinerarias. 
Jubilee. —The rays of this variety are beautifully 
imbricated one over the other in an oblique direction ; 
and are white with a rosy purple margin and tip. This 
colour gives the variety a novel appearance ; and the 
habit is compact, dwarf, and all that could be desired. 
Royalty. —The heads of this fine variety are large, 
deep blue, and self-coloured ; while the plant is dwarf. 
Eclipse. —The deep magenta recurved and imbricated 
rays of this form constitute it a desirable one for 
cultivation ; the flower heads themselves are very 
broad, and the plant dwarf. 
Ariel. —This has no less a striking colour than the 
last, but decidedly of a lighter shade, with large flower 
heads, recurved rays of a clear pinkish lilac tint, and a 
white base ; the plant is dwarf-habited. 
All were exhibited by Mr. J. James, Woodside, 
Farnham Royal, Slough. Floricultural Certificates. 
Amaryllis. 
Hilda. —Four flowers of fine substance were borne 
on a tall scape ; and these were large, of a deep crimson- 
scarlet, with a white midrib near the base of each 
segment, and slightly flamed there. Exhibited by Mr. 
J. Douglas, Great Gearies, Ilford. Floricultural Cer¬ 
tificate. 
