June 4, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
635 
the original type. This Spanish Squill, or Bluebell, is 
worthy of more extended recognition in the matter of 
pot culture. It is a desideratum for amateurs pos¬ 
sessing only unheated structures ; for if the bulbs are 
potted up in autumn, wintered in a cold frame, top- 
dressed in spring, and brought into a greenhouse to 
develop their floral beauties, they cannot fail to 
gratify the most fastidious. A clump of bulbs, treated 
as above, is now the object of the writer’s admiration. 
The long strap-shaped sub-erect leaves become, under 
cultivation, perfectly recurved—so much so as to com¬ 
pletely hide the pot in which the plant is growing. 
From this mass of foliage rise sixteen handsome spikes 
of bloom covered with pale blue flowers. The latter 
are broadly campanulate in form, and range from 
twelve to thirty on each individual raceme, which, col¬ 
lectively, rise to the average height of 19 ins. After 
flowering, place outside in a shady position, attend to 
watering till the foliage changes colour, then divide for 
increase, pot up, consign to a cold frame, and, for the 
time being, its cultural requirements are complete. 
C. B. G., Acton, TV. 
Jaek-in-the-Green Polyanthus. —From Mr. 
William Caudwell, The Ivies, Wantage, comes this 
curious garden form of Primula, which well earns for 
itself the heading of this note. It was accompanied 
by a most interesting series of Hose-in-Hose Polyanthus 
and other forms, illustrating the origin of flowers from 
ordinary green leaves. The variations in the present 
instance occur in the calyx, which ranges from the 
normally 5-angled slightly inflated form through 
various stages of development, both green and petaloid 
or coloured. A deep crimson flower was furnished with 
a large calyx, whose segments were crisped and toothed, 
while other dark-coloured flowers have a calyx with 
enlarged and dilated segments, not much inferior in 
point of colour to the corolla itself. Several bright yel¬ 
low forms were perfect specimens of the Hose-in-Hose, 
having calyx and corolla coloured alike. The calyx of 
Jack-in-the-Green has developed into five perfect green 
leaves precisely similar to the ordinary ones, with 
nothing to mark their true significance as part of the 
flower, except their position round the corolla, and their 
being slightly joined, forming a cup at the base. The 
crimson red corolla has an elongated tube. 
Brash, and Lias. —“A young gardener,” writing 
to me a few days ago, asked me if I would give 
definitions of these two terms, for the information of 
himself and his fellow-students. “ Brash ” is a word 
of French origin, and has nearly the same meaning as 
“trash,” which is of Scandinavian origin ; the words 
appear to be directly related. In geology, a brash is a 
scattering of fragments of rubbish of rocks caused by 
weather, local dislocations, and sometimes by blasting. 
But the term should never be applied to the result of 
human agency. When a particular brash is referred to, 
its nature should be stated, as lime-stone brash, red 
sand-stone brash, &c. The noble headland of Main Tor, 
in the Peak district of Derbyshire, seems brash as one 
looks at it, for the face of the rock is for ever falling in 
flakes and in chips. “ Lias ” is always a limestone, 
and is usually called blue lias, because mixed with beds 
of blue clay. It is much valued as a source of lime, 
because free from magnesia. The position of the lias is 
the base of the oolite, and above the new red ; it is, 
therefore, not a very ancient rock. The lias fossils 
include ammonites, fishes, and the big reptiles of the 
ichthyosaurus pattern. White lias is the best litho¬ 
graphic stone. Lias is of marine origin.— R. D. 
Solomon’s Seal.—In the Gardeners' Chronicle 
last year I noticed a communication from a well- 
kuown contributor respecting a sweet-scented form of 
Solomon’s Seal. I remember that at the time a foot¬ 
note by the editor took me rather by surprise, it being 
to the effect that such a plant was entirely unknown 
to him. Our own stock is beautifully scented, and we 
use the plant rather largely for church and house 
decoration, and often find that its scent attracts the 
notice of visitors passing through the houses. Till I 
saw the letter in question, I had not the slightest 
doubt but that everyone’s stock was like our own, 
never noticing any difference in growth, colour, or time 
of flowering. I think the question of there being both 
scented and odourless varieties of this old favourite, is 
of sufficient interest to call the attention of your readers 
to it, because if anyone has a stock of scentless plants, 
it will be quite worth while for those who appreciate 
flowers for their perfume, to procure a stock which will 
delight both the sense of sight and smell. I call at¬ 
tention to it now because I suppose it will be in flower 
in most places by this time, though, like everything 
else, it is unusually late this season. — TV. B. G. 
Weeds on Lawns. —We have a piece of grass 
much disfigured with plantains, and find sulphuric acid, 
lawn sand, and sulphate of ammonia are attended with 
the disadvantages of disfiguring the grass, and being to 
a great extent disappointing in their results. A great 
number of the root-stocks are not entirely destroyed 
by any of them, and after a time the parts unaffected 
send up fresh growths, which are most difficult to deal 
with. I would like to know if any of your corre¬ 
spondents have tried Smith’s Weed Killer for this 
purpose, and with what results. Failing that, I fear 
there is nothing for it but to get them out with a Daisy- 
iron—a tedious and expensive operation. — TV. B. G. 
Lilium Harrisii.— This belongs to the L. longi- 
florum section, is called “Easter Bermuda Lily,” and 
sometimes L. floribundum. The above Lily surpasses 
all others in its free-flowering properties, blooming 
two or three times in the space of a twelvemonth. 
There were some doubts expressed on its first appear¬ 
ance, as to whether it was distinct enough from L. 
longiflorum to be called a new species, but the subse¬ 
quent culture of it has tended to confirm the opinion 
that it is a grand Lily and most distinct. It grows 
about 3 ft. high, bearing from four to six flowers, but 
often more, being produced as iu the typical L. longi¬ 
florum. The bulbs may be planted singly or three in 
an 8-in pot, in rich loam with a proportion of manure. 
When the growth is about a foot high, liquid manure, 
in weak doses, should be administered liberally, and 
this treatment must be continued throughout, for 
w 7 hen the old stem commences to die another fresh 
one will be pushing forth, which, being weaker 
than the first, requires extra nourishment. Bulbs 
thus treated will bloom in April, while for purity and 
fragrance, or used Tor decoration, they cannot be 
excelled.— F. R. S. 
Tree Pseonies, Snowflake and Lilacina.— 
These two fine certificated varieties are in flower at 
Mr. Wm. Gordon’s nursery, Twickenham, together with 
about thirty other new and fine varieties imported direct 
from Japan. Snowflake is a large double pure white ; 
Lilacina, white, with lilac centre ; Dr. Gordon, a grand 
double pink ; Lady Osbert, scarlet and red; Lord 
Beaeonsfield, blush, with violet flame in the petals ; 
Her Majesty, rose, with lilac centre ; Enterprise, rose ; 
Merry Hampton, a fine violet ; and Ivy, a charming 
single with dull scarlet or bright brick-red petals, and 
yellow centre—to our mind the prettiest of all. The 
plants have a flue appearance mixed with elegant-leaved 
Japanese Maples, and their flowers are delightfully 
fragrant. 
Suttons’ Imperial Cabbage.— This is one of 
the best early varieties I have ever grown ; indeed, 
grown side by side with four other sorts, I may say 
that it is by far the earliest and best. I have been 
cutting beautiful heads since the first week in May ; 
and to get Cabbages fit for table at that date in 
Carnarvonshire is very good work, considering what a 
trying spring we have had. The winds we have here 
are very severe, and try the constitution of all plants. 
The seeds were sown on the 6th of August, and the 
plants put out on the 1st of October last, on the Onion 
quarter, and not a single plant has bolted.— G. Tyler, 
gardener to General Hugh Rowlands, V.C., C.B., 
Plastirion, nr. Carnarvon. 
Amaryllis Belladonna (Belladonna Lily). 
—When at Gunnersbury Park the other day, I noticed 
that the long border of Belladonna Lilies in front of one 
of the plant houses had made a marvellous growth of 
foliage, but the spring frosts and biting northerly 
winds had seared the leaves in places where they were 
exposed to their action. It is some five or six years 
ago since Mr. Roberts planted the bulbs, and he has 
been most successful in flowering them. Last autumn 
there was a wonderful wealth of bloom, the flowers large 
and finely coloured. It is curious to notice how much 
earlier the bulbs are at one end of the house than at the 
other, and that is because the hot-water pipes are at 
one point much nearer the bulbs than at the other. 
The border is on a south aspect. It is on such an 
aspect or a south-west one that the bulbs should be 
planted. The bed should be dug out to the depth of 
18 ins., some drainage be added if necessary, then some 
rich soil put in, and the bulbs be planted 9 ins. below 
the surface, so that they may be outside the reach of 
frost. In two years they begin to bloom freely, and 
by the third year will throw up three or four flowering 
stems each, as the Gunnersbury plants do, and they 
should not be disturbed for a few years, not until signs 
are apparent that the plants are giving out. During 
autumn and winter a good mulching of dung and loam 
should be added, and, if necessary, these can be removed 
in spring. A bed of these Lilies is of great assistance 
to a gardener at that season of the year, and it supplies 
a large number of cut flowers of a very useful and accept¬ 
able character. Bulbs can be purchased very reasonably 
in August and September, as they are imported largely 
in a dry state from Holland, France and Guernsey. 
The bed once planted there is no further cost for years, 
except such a trifling outlay in the shape of labour 
necessary for their culture.— R. D. 
Late-keeping Apples. —-Amongst the mass of 
Apples grown, it is so far satisfactory to know that 
there are British-grown varieties capable of keeping up 
a supply till next season’s crop is obtainable. Mr. 
M. McLean, The Gardens, Vinter’s Park, Maidstone, 
sends us two varieties, namely, French Crab and Lane’s 
Prince Albert. One fruit of the former was ripened in 
1885, the other in 1886, as was also that of Lane’s 
Prince Albert. The oldest fruit was a good deal 
shrivelled, as might be expected, but in no way 
decayed, while last year’s fruit of the French Crab was 
as firm and sound as when gathered last autumn. It 
is a beautiful Apple, now of a pale yellowish green, 
marked with small russety dots and giving off a 
delicious odour ; it may be used either for dessert or 
culinary purposes, and is synonymous with 'Winter 
Greening. The specimen sent us was above the average 
size. Lane’s Prince Albert ripened last year, is still 
sound and firm, with a smooth glossy shining skin, of 
a pale greenish yellow, flushed and streaked with red 
on the exposed side ; it is a large conical Apple of the 
first quality, keeps late and a heavy cropper. It is one 
of the Apples that deserves to be more extensively 
grown. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar, 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Bedding-out will now occupy most of the time, 
though the potting-on of many of the summer-flowering 
decorative plants must not be overlooked ; they are so 
quickly rendered useless if once they become badly 
pot-bound. We have shifted the seedling tuberous 
Begonias into 32’s, returning them to the stages in the 
intermediate house. The smaller ones have been potted 
off singly, and will be treated in the same manner as 
they advance in growth. Mimulus, Celosias, Brow- 
allias, and a host of other subjects have likewise been 
similarly treated. If pit-room can be spared, man} 7 of 
this class of plants will be found to succeed far better 
than if kept in the houses. 
Impatiens Sultanx have been shifted into their 
flowering pots, and another sowing has been made to 
succeed them. This will be found far preferable to 
keeping the old plants on throughout the season. The 
early Achimenes are now coming into bloom, having 
been neatly staked out and staged in the intermediate 
house, where their flowers last longer, and are of better 
texture and colour, than if grown in a strong heat. 
As Caladiums make progress, they must be given 
plenty of room and fully exposed to the light, that the 
different tints may be brought out, for—like Crotons— 
it is only by such treatment that their full beauty is 
seen. Take every care of the pretty little C. argyrites, 
so very useful for all kinds of decoration. 
The Eaeliest-floxveeed Azaleas of each type 
will now have completed their growth. Ours have 
been removed from the houses into the pits, so that 
they may be hardened off, and also to rid the vineries 
as much as possible of all plants, which is necessary as 
soon as room can be found for them elsewhere. There 
is always a danger of their becoming infested with 
thrips, which speedily transfer themselves to the Vines, 
and spread with alarming rapidity. Let the pits 
containing them be freely ventilated, but in case of 
bright sunshine it will be advisable to give some slight 
shading during the hottest part of the day ; so fax- 
little of this has been required this season. We have 
given the greenhouses a thorough turn-out and 
cleansing, potting such plants as required, and re- 
