826 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 27, 1887. 
and advanced state than agriculture, yet, in order to 
hold our own, we must not rest on present or past- 
achievements, but make progress the order of the day. 
What the uncultured land will not produce spon¬ 
taneously we can greatly augment by calling in the aid 
of science and remedial legislation. Let us not rest 
upon past greatness, but advance with the times, by 
educating the rising generation of gardeners and others 
to meet any emergency with which they may be con¬ 
fronted in the pursuit of horticulture ; and in so doing 
we shall be able to hold our own. 
-—- 
NEW PLANTS CERTIFICATED 
By the Floral Committee of the R.H.S. 
August 23rd. 
CVPRIPEDIUM PR2ESTANS. 
In this we have a decided novelty, which Reichenbacli 
describes as the best of all the Cypripediums, and which 
is all the more interesting as it is the first species from 
New Guinea. It was imported about eight months ago, 
and two of the plants have flowered. That here ex¬ 
hibited bore three blooms on a spike, but as many as 
eleven have been produced in its native home. The 
strap-shaped, channelled leaves are uniformly deep 
green. The broadly ovate standard is marked with 
deep brown, almost black lines, alternating with yellow 
ones and is indeed fine. The long pendent petals are 
greenish yellow, much twisted except the basal quarter, 
which is purplish brown, flat, except for a number of 
small black undulations or elevations which are very 
striking. The large yellow staminode is very pro¬ 
minent, furnished at the sides with velvety brown 
hairs, and very characteristic. The labellum is pale 
yellow with brown veins, and resembles that of C. 
Stonei. Exhibited by Mr. J. Linden, for the Com- 
pagnie Continental d’Horticulture. 
Asplenium scandens. 
This novel and highly ornamental species belongs to 
the section Darea, which is characterised by the veins 
being simple, the ultimate divisions of the frond 
narrowly linear, and the oblong or linear sori, marginal 
or nearly so. It is named scandens, from the elongated 
stem being rhizomatous, and rooting somewhat similar 
in habit to a Davallia. The fronds are 1 tt. to 2 ft. 
long and 6 ins. to 12 ins. broad, arranged closely at 
intervals on the rhizomes, and spreading in an elegant 
manner. They are light green, three to four times finely 
divided into linear segments, which give the frond on 
the whole a very ornamental effect. The rhizomes can 
be arranged on the surface of a pan or trained in any 
other desired way. It comes from New Guinea and the 
Philippines. Exhibited by Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons. 
Disa cornuta. 
The general appearance of this Orchid is striking, 
although it is not calculated to become so generally 
popular as D. grandiflora. The upper sepal forms a 
large hood, covering or arching over the rest of the 
flower, with its spur projecting behind, and is pale 
brown suffused with a violet or blue flush. The lateral 
sepals are also large and pale yellow, with their mid¬ 
ribs excurrent beneath and a little behind the tips in the 
form of short black horns, suggesting the specific name. 
The petals are small and hooked, and completely 
enclosed by the large upper hooded sepal. The 
labellum is also small, and black with a yellow claw. 
Exhibited by Mr. G. W. Cummins, gardener to 
A. H. Smee, Esq., The Grange, Wallington. 
SCOLOPENDRITTM VULGARE CRISPETM FIMBRIATUM, 
The fronds of this new and distinct variety are 12 
ins. to 15 ins. in length and 3 ins. to ins. broad, 
and are, in the latter respect, very noticeable. They 
are at the same time deeply lobed, lacerated, 
undulated and crisped. The name would lead us 
to suppose that it was a sport from S. vulgare crispum ; 
and if so, it is a very striking one. The undulations 
of that variety are rendered less conspicuous in this 
case by the number and length of the marginal fissions. 
As a decorative variety its merits are excellent. 
Exhibited by Messrs. F. W. & H. Stansfield, Sale, near 
Manchester. 
Gaillardia Admiration. 
The flower-heads of this variety measure over 3 ins. 
in diameter, and have a deep chestnut-brown central 
disk, and surrounded by a lively crimson ring formed 
by the colouring at the base of the ray florets. The 
latter are trifid, and, with the exception of the 
small basal part, are of a deep clear golden yellow. It 
is a dwarf and compact-habited variety, and quite new. 
Exhibited by Mr. T. S. "Ware. 
Single Dahlia, Miss Gordon. 
We continue to break into new ground in the produc¬ 
tion of distinct types of single Dahlias, as far as colour 
is concerned. The flower-heads of this new form, as 
shown, are about 3 ins. in diameter, with broad very 
much imbricated ray florets of good substance. The 
outer half of these rays is deep dull reddish crimson, 
while the basal half is yellow, and the disk florets a 
clear yellow. By reason of the distinct zones of colour, 
it is certainly a novelty. Exhibited by Mr. T. S. 
Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
Gladioli. 
Bonavia. —The ground colour of this variety is soft 
rosy pink, flaked and splashed towards the margin, 
especially the inner segments, with a darker shade of 
the same colour. The individual flowers are 4 ins. to 4J 
ins. in diameter, and seven of them on the spike 
were opened, and twelve unopened. 
Mrs. Edgar Wild. —This variety is either naturally 
more floriferous than the last, or the specimen must 
have been cut from a very vigorous plant. Of twenty- 
six flowers borne by it, eleven were fully expanded, 
and closely arranged on the spike. The blooms 
individually are large, pale pink, and flaked in a lively 
manner with rosy carmine towards the margin of the 
segments. 
Mary Anderson. —The flowers of this form are of 
a very pleasing soft purple, except the three lower 
segments, which are white in the throat of the flower, 
the colour extending upwards for about half their 
length. All the segments have a more or less distinct 
white mid-rib. Of twenty-one flowers borne by the 
spike, six were fully expanded. 
Halle.— -Here the flowers are bright scarlet, softly 
and rather indistinctly flaked with pale rose towards 
the outer margin. The throat is purple, and the lower 
segment—which is considerably smaller than any of 
the rest—is suffused and lined with purple for the 
greater part of the length. The flowers on the whole 
are very attractive. 
John Dominy. —Of all the five forms certificated, 
this is the most decided in tone, and the ground colour 
is more uniform in the depth of its tint. This is a 
very fine pink, brightly flaked with carmine at the 
margin of the segments. The lower segment of the 
perianth is small, pale yellow on the lower half, with 
a pale mid-rib. All the above were exhibited by 
Messrs. Ivelway & Son, Langport, Somerset. 
->X<- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM GROWERS 
AT SWANLEY. 
Such a collection of Chrysanthemum growers, all 
bent upon pleasure, is seldom to be seen, as the group 
who met at St. Paul’s Station, about mid-day on 
Wednesday week, to accept the special invitation sent 
to them by Mr. Cannell to visit his Home for Flowers 
in Kent. The familiar faces of Mr. E. Sanderson, Mr. 
W. Holmes, Mr. R. Ballantine, Mr. Geo. Stevens, Mr. 
Gilson, and a host of other enthusiasts, in all about 
fifty, tend more to remind one of the November gather¬ 
ing at the Royal Aquarium than an outing on a hot 
summer day at Swanley. 
Shortly before two o’clock we reached Swanley, and 
found Mr. Cannell awaiting us upon the platform, and 
he at once led the way to the nursery, where an inspec¬ 
tion was made of the grounds and houses, which are at 
the present time in a blaze of colour from end to end. 
The Chrysanthemums which are standing out in the 
open in large square blocks, of course, came in for a 
fair share of criticism from the lips of men who do 
know how a Chrysanthemum should look at this time 
of the year. These plants look very healthy, but, like 
the general run of plants this season, they are short, 
owing possibly to the excessive heat. They are 
nevertheless strong, and, being short, are easier to 
group. We shall hope this season to see some very 
attractive groups at our leading exhibitions. The 
great difficulty a competitor has to contend with is the 
height his best plants will make—some varieties in a 
moist season growing about 10 ft., making them useless 
for grouping. 
The mostattractivehouses at Swanley now contain the 
double Begonia, the quality of which is marvellous, 
then the single and double zonal Pelargoniums, each of 
which have a house to themselves, 100 ft. long, with a 
path down the centre, and scarcely a bit of foliage to be 
seen for the gigantic trusses of bloom. Another very 
pretty house is that devoted to double Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums. It is unnecessary for me to give a 
further description of the respective houses after the 
very interesting article of “ W. B. G.,” on his visit to 
Swanley last week. 
Mr. Cannell says it is impossible to get good results 
from plants unless you feed them well. He is a prac¬ 
tical man ; on Wednesday week he treated our little 
group of fifty the same as he treats his plants, but not 
out of the same tub. 
In one of the greenhouses Mr. Cannell had refresh¬ 
ments served before starting for Eynsford, where he 
has taken a very large farm, about 200 acres I believe. 
On arriving at Eynsford, arrangements had been made 
for a photograph to be taken of the group, after 
which a very pleasant walk was taken over the hill to 
the farm-house, where an excellent and substantial tea 
was served. 
The thanks of the visitors are due not only to the 
hospitality of Mr. Cannell, but also to Mr. William 
Holmes, who spared no pains in arranging the trip to 
make it a success ; and the Chrysanthemum grower, who 
was fortunate enough to receive an invitation, but did 
not avail himself of the visit to Swanley missed a sight 
worth travelling a long distance to see.— Practical. 
•-—KS<—- 
Gardening ITiscellany. 
St. Dabeoc’s Heath. —Planted by the side of 
a drive at Cliveden, and intermixed with the native 
Calluna vulgaris, is a quantity of this fine old-fashioned 
Heath - like shrub, known botanically as Dabcecia 
polifolia, or by other authorities named Menziesia 
polifolia. Its racemes of large, purple, bell-shaped 
flowers, peeping from among those of the smaller- 
flowered and more sober Heather, have a charming 
effect; and from the semi-wild appearance of this and 
other vegetation associated with it, one would naturally 
believe it to be a true native. It is, however, indigenous 
to Mayo and Connemara in Ireland, and consequently 
is claimed as a British plant, whose beauty should 
warrant it a more extended cultivation in gardens. 
An Early Peach. — On a wall with a south 
aspect in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, Chiswick, is a Peach tree named The Shah, 
which for earliness shows it to be far ahead of any 
other on the same wall, either Peach or Nectarine. 
The tree is trained as an oblique cordon, consisting of 
two main stems or branches, w-ith short laterals, and 
bears very little short of three dozen good-sized fruits. 
The latter are deep red all over the exposed side, 
and greenish yellow, often changing to a clear bright 
yellow, on the side next the wall, or where heavily 
shaded by foliage or otherwise. It would appear to be 
a vigorous variety, judging from its present healthy 
condition and deep green foliage. The fruits were ripe 
some fourteen days ago, but others by the side of it will 
be some weeks later. Its earliness and fine appearance 
should recommend it to those intending to plant or 
increase their number of varieties grown on the open 
wall. 
Gaura Lindheimeri. —Wherever it is known, 
this plant is regarded as a fine thing ; but it does not 
seem to be generally recognised as a bedding plant of 
first-class quality and rare beauty. Mr. Roberts grows 
a large bed of it in the centre of a design in the flower 
garden at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, and a beautiful 
effect it has with its long graceful branches, which are 
furnished throughout a great part of their length with 
white and rose or pink-tinted flowers. It is a member 
of the same family as the Fuchsia and Epilobium, 
most resembling the latter, and more nearly allied 
to it. Being hardy, there is no difficulty attached to 
its preservation in winter, and propagation is easily 
effected by cuttings. It is further capable of being 
used singly or in various attractive combinations. 
Floriferous Allamanda. —In a previous note 
on Allamanda Schottii, generally known as A. Hender- 
soni in gardens, at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, the 
number of flowers produced by the plant in question is 
not very definitely or accurately stated. The plant 
