664 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 18, 1887. 
PRIMULA JAPONICA. 
A very suitable plant for the decoration of the cool 
greenhouse or conservatory is the subject of this note. 
The genus Primula, large and extensive as it is, does 
not contain a more robust-growing species than the 
one now under consideration. [Except P. imperialis, 
which grows a yard high. —Ed.] This particular 
Primrose is not only handsome in itself, but of the 
easiest possible culture. It is a native of Japan, and 
was introduced into this country so late as 1871. I 
take this fact in explanation why it is not more 
commonly known among the class to which I belong— 
namely, amateur gardeners. 
The leaves, which are of the usual type, are in this 
species exceptionally vigorous, and being produced in 
great profusion, become quite a feature in themselves. 
The flowers—and these are very striking—rise from 
the leaf-rosettes on long scapes, whorl above whorl, 
varying somewhat in colour, and ranging from deep 
crimson to pinky-white. Under glass the leaves are 
larger and more delicately coloured ; the flowers also 
take on purer tints, that is to say, their beauty is 
enhanced by reason of the protection thus afforded 
from biting winds, and frequent frosts, which seem to 
be the concomitants of our fickle climate. 
I can speak with certainty as to its hardiness, as I 
have six free-blooming clumps in good condition, which 
have received no protection during the last two winters. 
I placed them outside 4 t first with some timidity, but 
the result has emboldened me to further experiments. 
A nice collection is now on view in the greenhouse at 
Kew, where by the judicious arrangement of these 
plants in groups, a very fine effect is obtained. 
Flowering specimens may also be seen on the rockery, 
at that establishment, apparently doing well in a 
variety of situations. After flowering, propagation may 
be effected by division of the crowns, and for green¬ 
house or cold frame culture should be potted up in 
good fibrous loam and leaf-soil, with a due regard to 
drainage, using rather large pots. 
Top-dress in early spring when the new growth 
appears, and you will not be able to quarrel with your¬ 
self when the leaves develop and the flowers unfold, 
for the gratification of yourself and friends.— C. B. G., 
Acton, IV. 
-=->X<-- 
THE INTERMEDIATE HOUSE. 
This house is often ignored by many professional 
and amateur gardeners ; but the use to which it can be 
applied is almost next in importance to the propagating 
house. By using an intermediate temperature, many 
plants can be grown that otherwise could not be culti¬ 
vated successfully in a stove or greenhouse. A house 
should always be set apart purposely for the cultivation 
of plants that will not grow well in the stove, and for 
which the greenhouse is too cool. This should be 
termed the intermediate house. Sufficient piping 
should be put in for heating purposes, so that the 
temperature of the structure can be regulated to any 
degree desirable, from a cool stove heat to that of a 
warm greenhouse. 
This structure answers admirably for the reception of 
any kind of young soft-wooded plants as soon as they 
have been potted from the cutting-pot, where they soon 
establish themselves. After the spring months are 
over, the house may be utilised for the cultivation of 
such plants as Bouvardias, tuberous-rooted Begonias, 
young Fuchsias making up into specimens, young stock 
of tea-scented Roses, or any other kind of plant re¬ 
quiring rather more heat and moisture than is afforded 
by the ordinary greenhouse. This house should, at all 
times of the year, have the heat kept running through 
the pipes, and the temperature should be regulated by 
means of ventilation, principally from the roof. This 
causes all plants grown in this structure to keep sturdy 
in their habit—a system of growth which cannot be too 
much impressed upon the minds of amateur growers. 
The house can always be used for some purpose of 
plant-growing both winter and summer alike. After 
the spring and summer stock has been disposed of, it 
may be used in the autumn for placing young Pelar¬ 
goniums in (zonal and other kinds), after potting from 
the cutting-pot, till such times as they are established 
in their small pots, from whence they will have to be 
removed to their winter quarters ; also for hastening 
any kind of plants that may be required for bringing 
into flower during the early winter months. Azaleas, 
Rhododendrons, Deutzias, Cape bulbs, &c., are always 
better if they are placed in an intermediate heat before 
being finally introduced into the stove to bring them 
into bloom. The eyes or crowns are not so apt to go 
blind when put in this house first for a few weeks, as 
what they would be were they placed in an excessive 
stove-heat direct from the frame-yard or pits. 
Many would find the use of this structure a great 
benefit to them for the [cultivation of the Chinese 
Primula, both double and single, and through the 
winter months for preserving many kinds of plants in 
flower after they have been brought on to flower in the 
stove. Nearly all the varieties of the winter-flowering 
Begonias will succeed well in this house up till very 
late in the autumn ; and for the ripening of the stems 
and foliage of Poinsettias, no better place can be 
found. All kinds of flowering plants look more com¬ 
fortable when nicely arranged in the intermediate 
house in the winter season—during their blooming 
period—in fact, the use this one structure alone can be 
put to is almost endless. 
The intermediate house has its abuses as well as its. 
uses, and one of these is to attempt to make the 
house grow the plants before they have been properly 
prepared for their introduction into its interior; 
another is to keep the house so close as to cause all the 
plants in it to become weak and sickly, those in charge 
forgetting that the ventilators will open, and thus cause 
a free circulation of air on all favourable occasions. 
This last evil is often the cause of the failure of this 
structure amongst many amateurs ; but if heat and 
ventilation are both properly applied, plants of whatever 
description will benefit largely by their use. 
I consider that in every place where any pretension 
to plant-growing is carried on, some means should be 
found to find a house of this description, and I would 
advise amateurs who may have only one or two green¬ 
houses, to find means to make a part of them into places 
where an intermediate heat can be maintained.— W. G. 
-- 
GLOXINIAS AT GUNNERSBURY 
PARK. 
The numerous formsjof Sinningia speciosa, cultivated 
in gardens and universally known as Gloxinias, and 
which are obtained by selecting seeds of the best 
varieties, have been—like the Begonia—greatly im¬ 
proved within the last few years. The old-fashioned 
drooping or horizontal flowers were disliked by the 
florist, and wherever seedlings presented themselves 
with bold upright flowers, the others were vigorously 
weeded out. The result is that, in a good strain, very 
few horizontal flowers now make their appearance. 
The truth of this will be apparent on an inspection of a 
fine bank of plants in one of the stoves at Gunnersbury 
Park, Acton. Scarcely two plants seem to have their 
flowers alike, and, with few exceptions, these belong to 
the erect, nearly regular type. The seif-coloured 
flowers generally seem to possess the greatest sub¬ 
stance ; but, as a rule, spotted ones and those of two 
or more well-defined colours are generally admitted to 
be the most attractive. Few of the seedlings in 
question are named, which is less necessary seeing that 
a large stock of attractive and meritorious varieties can 
be got up in a very short time. 
Great value is laid upon the spotted flowers by many 
cultivators, and a number of them here were notable 
for the density and delicacy of their markings. The 
ground colour of all the spotted ones is white, and the 
densely arranged minute markings covering the throat 
and limb are in one case violet, in another rose, and a 
third delicate rose. The flowers of this latter variety 
are very large, as is frequently the case in spotted 
flowers, with the lobes of the corolla somewhat reflexed. 
By an inspection of a flower it is evident that while 
the corolla and style become erect and nearly regular, 
the stamens still retain their declinate position. 
A striking feature in Begonias is the facility with 
which one colour plays with another, and rose-purple 
or violet gives place to a distinct blue. Amongst them 
were several pure white forms, or, at most, only spotted 
with purple in the throat. 
Those flowers are generally very attractive,which 
have the brighter colours arranged in distinct zones 
parallel with the margin. Possibly the best of these 
was a large seven-lobed flower with a large purple 
blotch corresponding to the basal part of each lobe, 
while around this a distinct violet band ran parallel 
with the pure white margin. Another very little 
inferior in point of beauty was spotted blue on a white 
ground in the interior of the throat, with a blue band 
following the outline of the lobes. Akin to these latter 
varieties was a white, furnished with a deep rose band 
at the orifice of the tube ; but a rich crimson fading to 
rose at the margin, recalls a similar occurrence in the 
Alpine Auricula. More singular than this, however, 
was a violet-purple suffused with blue at the margin, 
while another flower on the same plant was a pale blush- 
coloured self. 
Colours would seem to have some bearing upon or 
relation to the shape and direction of the flower, as a 
drooping porcelain-blue flower was marked longitudi¬ 
nally with a deep indigo-blue band along the lower side 
of the tube. In one of these horizontal flowers a sin¬ 
gular feature presented itself in the shape of an extra 
petal of doubtful morphological value. More singular 
still was a blue self with a double corolla, placed one 
within the other hose-in-hose fashion. The origin of 
this it would be difficult to make out, seeing that the 
calyx was present and in no way abnormal, while the 
inner corolla was also very perfect. Seed of this is to 
be saved with a view of reproducing the sport. 
The above are merely a few of the flowers noticed at 
random in the group, and serve to show what can be 
obtained from a good strain of seed. The plants are 
last year’s seedlings, and although grown only in 
48-sized pots, are noticeable for the number of flowers, 
in all stages of development, upon each plant. There 
is a greater proportion of blooms to the foliage in this 
case than when grown in large pots. 
-->x<-- 
APHELANDRA OHRYSOPS. 
Most, or all of the species of Aphelanara are useful 
decorative plants, being classed amongst the choicest of 
stove decorative subjects. The flowers are showy enough 
in themselves, and the profusion of bracts that accom¬ 
pany them are generally highly coloured. When to 
this we add a third quality, namely, variegation of 
the foliage—and that of a natural kind—surely the 
cultivator of choice things has reached the climax 
of his aspirations, leaving little else to be desired. 
The present new species, announced this season for the 
first time by Mr. William Bull, of Chelsea, combines 
all the three qualities just mentioned, and in that 
respect takes rank with A. Margaritse and A. fascinator, 
but is relatively a much stronger grower, and cer¬ 
tainly one of the finest introductions of its kind that 
has been made for some time. It is a native of 
Brazil, and has already been certificated at South 
Kensington. The inflorescence consists of a spike 
about 12 ins. in length, furnished with large, some¬ 
what boat-shaped, golden yellow bracts imbricating in 
four rows. From the interior of these the flowers—also 
of a fine golden yellow colour—issue in four rows. 
The leaves, which are large and broadly oblong, 
resemble A. aurantiaca in size and vigour ; but are 
distinctly variegated along the mid-rib, the primary, 
and often, more or less, the secondary branches. The 
cultural treatment necessary in this case is, no doubt, 
precisely similar to that by which the others are 
successfully grown. 
-->X<-- 
MULCHING. 
After most refreshing showers, which seem to 
have been very general in the northern districts, 
vegetation has greatly improved. Where water is 
scarce, and there is a desire to make the best of 
circumstances, it is well to mulch liberally vegetables, 
flowering plants and fruit trees. Though the practice 
is not so general nor so needful in the north as in the 
southern parts, yet one can often apply a good surface 
dressing with great benefit. We do not recommend a 
quantity of dry litter to be blown about by the wind, 
or unsightly applications to mar the neatness and 
uniformity of well-kept gardens. Cocoa-nut fibre does 
well for many purposes, and half-rotted leaf-soil is 
also good for mulching ; but for many things where 
nourishment to the roots is desirable, well-rotted 
cow-manure is one of the best dressings. In the 
absence of such material the surface soil over the roots 
may be slightly broken up, and a quantity of soil laid 
over loosely ; evaporation would thus be arrested and 
drought kept out. A free use of the hoe to break up 
cracks and form a loose surface is also advantageous 
where no other steps are taken to nourish or protect 
the roots. Mowings from lawns, &c., are often used for 
mulching, but such materials are not very desirable, as 
weeds are brought where theyare difficult to destroy.— C. 
