May 21, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
603 
accordingly. The plant in question is generally known 
in gardens as Eriobotrya japonica, but it is inseparable 
from Photonia, except in a few minor particulars, such 
as the greater size of the fruit. English names are the 
Japan Medlar, Japan Quince and Loquat ; and in 
Covent Garden these are supplemented by the Loquat 
or Nespres japonica. This is tame, however, to the 
advertisements of the costermongers in some of the 
principal streets of London, where large placards des- , 
cribe the fruit as the “Australian japonica nespretos, or 
the new Jubilee Fruit! ” It may not be out of place to 
state that the Photinia is Japanese not Australian. 
Peaches were declared as nowhere with the fruits, or 
“not in it.” This is quite true if taken in a literal 
sense, but we doubt the expression if taken figuratively. 
The fruit, however, has an uncommon appearance, and 
those w T ho have not had the opportunity of seeing it 
before are taken by its novelty. The colour is deep 
yellow or inclined to orange, often with a reddish flush, 
resembling that of some of the Service trees, and the 
fruits are about the size of plums, and generally contain 
two very large seeds somewhat like Coffee Beans. 
Ixia craterciides. —This deserves a place in 
every garden. The flowers, produced on spikes, 
whether used for cut-flower purposes or for conservatory 
decoration, are very effective. The colour is a brilliant 
pink. The cultural details are very simple, the treat¬ 
ment of Gladiolus, The Bride, suiting it admirably. 
Amongst other varieties of the Ixia may be mentioned 
I. Lady Slade, soft pink, I. aurantiaca major, amber, 
tipped with rose ; and I. viridifiora, almost like 
verdigrise.— F. R. S. 
Saxifraga granulata fiore pleno. —This is 
only a double form of the common meadow Saxifrage, 
which is a native species ; but it is such a charming 
plant, and so well deserving a place in the garden, that 
I wonder it is not more grown. It does well in the 
open border among low plants ; it is of dwarf tufted 
growth, and throws up spikes or irregular trusses of 
double white flowers. 'When the foliage has died 
down some soil should be placed upon the small scaly 
bulbs, otherwise they are in danger of being washed 
out of the-ground.— R. D. 
Primula Sieboldi (cortusoides amcena).— 
This fine hardy species of Primula well deserves all 
the praise which has been so freely bestowed upon 
it. It is specially adapted for those who know its capa¬ 
bilities for cool greenhouse treatment, and likewise cool 
greenhouse decoration. Being the fortunate possessor 
of two 6-in. pots full of this charming spring flower, I 
am constrained to dwell upon the fact, and add a note 
upon it for the benefit of amateurs, like myself, readers, 
of The Gardening World. The pots in question 
are brimful of the most delicate green foliage, sur¬ 
mounted by six and nine heads of bloom respectively, 
of the richest of rose colours. The individual pips 
average 1J ins. in diameter, and the trusses, which are 
well borne above the delicate green, contain from six 
to ten flowers, arranged in an umbel. My specimens 
are old-established plants, to which I attribute their 
freedom of flowering. I may here mention that the 
pots were wintered in a cold frame, and that on the 
appearance of the young leaves I top-dressed them 
with Clay’s Fertiliser. With regard to their successful 
culture, I would add that their requirements are few ; 
but those requirements must be attended to—namely, 
light rich sandy soil, good drainage, cool treatment, 
and severely let alone. The Japanese Primrose is a 
perfectly hardy herbaceous perennial, losing its foliage 
on the approach of autumn, when it goes to rest, 
breaking up again from the fleshy creeping roots on 
the return of more congenial weather, to be again 
and again admired as the season advances, when its 
lovely colours are once more displayed in all their 
pristine beauty.— C. B. G., Acton, W. 
Seedling Pansies. —Mr. AVilliam Caudwell, The 
Ivies, Wantage, sends us a box containing a great 
number and variety of his strain of seedling Pansies. 
Most of them belong to the class called fancies, 
although a few of the seifs might figure as exhibition 
blooms. Notwithstanding the cold easterly winds to 
which they have been exposed for some time past, the 
flowers are large, flat, and of good substance, while the 
variation is endless, showing an intermixture of shades, 
tints, and colours that make description not only a 
difficult task but an impossibility. Descriptions of the 
pen are tame, while many of the flowers add fragrance 
to their other qualities. The deep velvety maroon 
flowers are very telling in their sable and retiring 
colours, as if conscious of their worth. On the other 
hand, those having a ground-colour of yellow, fiery 
crimson or red, are bold and telling even at a distance ; 
and all these colours mixed with brown, gold, cream 
and purple make them what they are—suitable for the 
tastes of the most fastidious. Some whose ground¬ 
colour is canary-yellow are notable for three magnificent 
violet-purple blotches on the three lower petals ; while 
the dark ground-colour of others fades into a paler one 
at the margin, like an Alpine Auricula. 
Annuals in Cottage Flower Gardens.— 
Occasionally one sees a cottage garden made gay by 
means of a few pretty annuals, but not so often as oue 
can desire. Some cottagers who live in remote districts 
do, naturally enough, fiud great difficulty in getting a 
few flower seeds ; those who live near market towns are 
better circumstanced. How wonderfully gay a few 
cheap showy annuals make a cottage garden when sown 
in some order, and with a view of making an attractive 
display ! There are Sweet Peas, Lupins, Candytufts, 
Nemophilas, Eschscholtzias, Indian Pinks, dwarf Nas¬ 
turtiums, Malope grandiflora, Godetia, dwarf and 
climbing Convolvuluses, &e., that can be bought cheap, 
and a pennyworth or two of each goes a long way. 
Sometimes a friendly gardener lends a helping hand by 
bestowing a few seeds out of his store of plenty. I 
wish sometimes the clergyman and squire would help 
the cottager with a present of a few pretty flower seeds 
—things that he would find great difficulty in getting 
were it not for this timely assistance. The clergyman, 
if he is anything of a gardener, is generally a specialist, 
and grows and exhibits Roses or some such popular 
flower ; and when he does this he has scarcely an eye 
for anything else. A little active sympathy goes a long 
way with the working classes.— R. D. 
Stephanotis floribunda. — Having read the 
remarks of your correspondents respecting the proper 
temperature for growing this plant in, I may say, as 
the result of a number of years’ experience, that it 
does not grow kindly in the cool temperature of a 
greenhouse proper ; but while at rest, and kept dry at 
the roots, it is quite in its place in a house of that 
description. I have one plant which all the year 
round is grown at the cool end of our stove, and is 
now (May 14th) about to open its blooms. Another 
plant, which has been required for a special purpose at 
a certain date, has been wintered at the warm end of 
the greenhouse, 'where the temperature certainly has 
not fallen below 7 40°, and about a week ago was cut 
back as required and placed in the stove. It had not 
the least signs of fresh growth about it.— J. R. ITcculows. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
_ 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Stoves. — Cold north-easterly winds still prevail, 
therefore the ventilating of the stoves must be carefully 
performed ; cold gusts will seriously damage the young 
fronds of many of the more tender Ferns, likewise the 
tender growths of the. Anthuriums, and other plants of 
a like nature, causing the disfigurement of the specimen 
plants for the whole of the season. If the houses con¬ 
taining these plants are in a range, let the intervening 
doors be thrown open as much as possible, so as to 
allow of a freer circulation of air for the necessary 
hardening of wood and foliage—so requisite to ensure 
satisfactory results, both in the case of flowering and 
foliage stove plants. Where blinds are used for shading 
they must not be allowed to remain down continually ; 
the sun has been very fitful of late, and in case of the 
weather remaining dull for any length of time the 
blinds must be drawn up ; damp down very frequently 
throughout the day, and syringe copiously morning and 
evening, always preferring to use the jet instead of the 
rose for the purpose. 
Dracjenas may need attention ; they are extremely 
liable to the attack of tlirips, and unless a sharp look 
is kept upon them, are completely spoiled in a few 
days. A free use of the syringe will help to ward off 
this pest, but should there be any trace of it, have the 
vdiole of the plants sponged with soft-soap and water. 
At the same time it may be advisable to examine the 
plants at the roots, and see that the drainage is good ; 
defect in this respect producing stagnation, is a 
frequent source of failure with this plant. We have 
potted up the whole of the Gesnerias and Tydeas, 
placing them on shelves where they will be out of the 
way of drip or the syringe until growth has fairly 
commenced, afterwards they will be liberally treated, 
remembering that the more luxuriant the growth the 
better the show of flower later on. Wo never use 
beyond an 8-in. pot for these plants : really good and 
useful plants may be grown in 32’s, particularly of the 
Gesnerias ; in fact, G. exoniensis succeeds much better 
if grown in this size. Frequently if grown in a larger 
size it will I'efuse to flower. Always bear in mind that 
plants of this class require a free open soil, they will 
never succeed in a soil of a retentive nature ; a liberal 
use should always be made of charcoal in the mixing 
of the compost. 
Poinsettias are now quite icady for potting, and 
must without further delay be shook out, previously 
giving a good soaking of water, that the roots may be 
damaged as little as possible by the removal of the old 
soil. Where the stools are getting old, it will be 
advisable to shorten most of the principal old roots, so 
that they may he potted into smaller pots to allow of a 
further shift being given later on. Where the breaks are 
numerous, some of them with a slice of heel should be 
taken off and inserted singly in 60-pots ; these will 
make good plants, and give much finer heads of bracts 
than the old stools. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
The Lady Downes Vines are now in full flower, 
and, as advised, a Muscat temperature is maintained. 
This is not by any means a free setting variety, so that 
extra care should be bestowed just at this period, or it 
may result in a serious loss in the crop by having to 
remove many of the clusters. We have been giving 
our borders heavy dampings of warm water lately, freely 
sprinkling the inside borders with Clay’s Fertiliser, and 
all the Vines are in most vigorous health ; the water 
applied to the outer borders has been warmer than that 
given to the inside. It will be advisable to give a 
slight shading to the Gros Colmar Vines now, or 
scorching will take place, the foliage being so soft and 
tender ; and should any sign of red spider make its 
appearance in any of the vineries which are approaching 
the ripening stage, a slight shading over the affected 
part greatly helps in the saving of the foliage ; red 
spider and sun together make short work of the foliage, 
no matter how good it may be, with the result that 
well-coloured fruit is entirely out of the question. At 
the same time the sulphuring of the pipes, as advised 
in a previous calendar, should at once be resorted to ; 
to be repeated in about ten days’ time. 
The Borders of the Peach Houses being light 
enough, have been filled with Tomatos in fruiting-sized 
pots ; they are trained on twine made secure to stakes 
fastened to the trellis-work overhead. Be careful that 
frequent sowings of Melons are made, so that healthy 
plants may always be ready for planting out as required. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
General Work. —Here, work is most abundant. 
We have planted out our earliest batch of Celery, the 
spring-sown Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts and Lettuce, 
giving a watering afterwards to thoroughly settle the 
soil about the roots. The spring-sown Spinach being 
now fit to pick, the winter patch has been dug in, and 
as soon as settled, the ground will be planted with 
French Beans ; the first sowing are growing away 
finely, and we now hope they may escape frosts. The 
earliest sowing of Runner Beans are just bursting 
through the soil ; the sticks will be placed to them, 
and so assist to protect in case of frosts, as they are 
rather exposed. 
Asparagus is coming on better now 7 , but so much 
time has been lost that a full cut is out of the question 
this season ; so many of the earliest and best heads 
were killed by the frosts which prevailed towards the 
end of April. We have to-day (16th) made another 
sovring of Peas, which included Telephone, Dr. McLean 
and Ne Plus Ultra, the last-named by far the best late 
Pea w 7 ith us ; another breadth of Turnips has been 
sown ; the earlier sowings make but little progress, 
and drawings will be late with us this season. We 
have also made another sowing of French Beans, this 
also on a warm south border. We have run the Dutch 
hoe through the beds of Parsnips, Carrots, Onions, 
and other small seeds, to keep down the weeds, which 
no matter how much attention has been previously 
paid to hoeing, will persist in making their appearance 
with the advent of spring.— Walter Child, Croome 
Court. 
