August 27, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
827 
occupies an area of 27 ft. by 6 ft., or 162 sq. ft. Some 
time ago the flowers cut from it amounted to 1,872, 
and the other day there were 600 of its huge blooms 
fully expanded, or nearly four to 1 sq. ft., and there is 
every prospect of a continuation of bloom up till 
October or late in autumn, by which time the flowers 
may reasonably be expected to number 4,000, or an 
average of almost twenty-five to 1 sq. ft. At present 
the house is a grand sight, and the extraordinary 
floriferousness of the plant is attributed to the abundant 
sunshine, of which it obtained the full benefit, as, by 
growing plants underneath the Allamanda, that 
required no other shading than was afforded by the 
latter, shading was discarded. 
Strawberry, Captain.— Mr. J. Dinsmore, gar¬ 
dener to T. F. Blackwell, Esq., The Cedars, Harrow 
Weald, has had good success with this Strawberry this 
trying year, and speaks highly of it as a fine early kind, 
with handsome fruits of good quality, produced in 
profusion.— J. B. 
Plumbago capensis as a Basket Plant.—- 
In addition to the well-deserved recommendations 
which Mr. Gaut and Mr. Weller (p. 810) give to this 
fine blue-flowered plant, let me say that it makes one 
of the best summer-flowering plants we have for sus¬ 
pension in large baskets. Years ago I used it for that 
purpose, twining its growths round the baskets until 
the heads of bloom appeared, when they were suffered 
to hang loose all round. Lately I saw a fine example 
of it grown in this way in a small conservatory at 
Maida Vale, London. Plumbago capensis is a very 
adaptable plant. I have grown it in 5-in. pots for 
decoration, and also, in Gloucestershire, as an outdoor 
wall-plant for warm and sheltered situations, with, at 
least, as much success as can be attained with many 
plants reputed to be quite hardy .—James O'Brien. 
Cassia laevigata. — Planted out in the cool 
conservatory at Cliveden is a large, very floriferous 
specimen of this Cassia, which although pretty frequent 
in gardens is more often grown as a small specimen in 
pots, or planted out of doors by way of a bedding plant 
in summer. Under the latter condition it gives great 
satisfaction if the season is tolerably moist, or if in 
summers like the present it gets a good supply of 
water. It is a free-flowering plant when cultivated 
under glass, and a large specimen like that mentioned 
shows off its true character to best advantage ; and not 
only is it ornamental from the abundance of its deep 
yellow flowers, but the ample, pinnate, smooth green 
leaves are in themselves very ornamental. There is 
considerable confusion amongst the species of Cassia 
cultivated in gardens ; the present one is synonymous 
with C. Herbertiana, which was figured in the Botanical 
Register, t. 1422. It is also known as C. corymbosa 
and C. floribunda, which are altogether different 
species. The genus is very numerous in species, which 
are consequently difficult to define. 
A Fern Wall. —In moist pits or stoves, and 
especially where the brickwork is not too closely 
cemented, seedlings of several kinds of Ferns germinate, 
and produce a very pretty effect. Our native Adiantum 
Capillus-Veneris is generally amongst the first to 
establish itself, and looks exceedingly ornamental and 
graceful. Attempts are occasionally made to cover the 
back walls of greenhouses and Ferneries systematically, 
and plant them with various subjects, according to the 
house. We noted, and could not fail to admire, an 
undertaking of this kind which has been very suc¬ 
cessfully effected at Cliveden, Berks, by Mr. Ellam. 
He uses moderately close-meshed galvanised wire 
netting, which he fastens within 3 ins. of the wall, 
filling the interspace with a compost suitable for Ferns. 
This is covered with Selaginella Kraussiana as a ground¬ 
work hiding the netting, and into this Ferns of various 
kinds—chiefly Adiantum cuneatum and Pteris serrulata 
cristata—have been planted. Fine, healthy, robust 
specimens of Begonia Rex have also been dotted in 
here and there, their ample and beautifully-variegated 
foliage having a very telling effect. Some economic 
value, however, is attached to the Ferns, seeing that 
the fronds are cut for decorative work. They attain a 
length of 18 ins. to 24 ins.—proportions they seldom 
assume when grown in pots, except under very special 
treatment. 
Clianthus Dampieri.— On p. 789, in your notes 
on “Herbaceous Plants at Burford Lodge, ” you mention 
that ‘ ‘ Mr. Baines succeeds admirably in the cultivation 
of Clianthus Dampieri both in and out-of-doors.” I am 
sure your readers would be very glad to hear from Mr. 
Baines what treatment he gives these plants, as you 
correctly state “it is notorious for the difficulty some 
experience in its cultivation,” and many more would 
grow it if they did not find it so.— Alfred Gaut, Copped 
Hall, Tottcridge, Herts. 
Godetia Lady Albemarle. — Of all the 
Godetias there is none to surpass Lady Albemarle. 
It is of a beautiful rich deep rose colour, and is very 
showy and effective when planted in clumps upon 
borders. It has stood this season’s excessive drought 
remarkably well.— Alfred Gaut. 
Mildew of Roses.— The description of Rose 
Mildew, on p. 790, is really a good and correct descrip¬ 
tion of the Orange Fungus of gardeners. The mildew 
of Roses (correctly so called by gardeners and botanists 
alike) is a white and very different fungus, viz., Oidium 
leucoconium, the early condition of a fungus named 
Sphrerotheca pannosa, a close ally of the white fungus 
of Hop mildew.— IV. G. S. 
A Large Vine. —There is a large Vine of the 
Black Hamburgh variety at Cliveden, of which no 
record is given in Mr. Barron’s book on Vines and 
Vine Culture. It monopolises a whole house, and 
although not so large as the noted Vines at Hampton 
Court and elsewhere, deserves notice for the great area 
occupied by its rods, and the thickness of its stem 
from whence the branches ramify. Unfortunately it 
does not receive the amount of attention that might be 
bestowed on a giant of its kind ; but seems to belong 
to a former time, and to an old school that delighted 
themselves more in the production of large or monster 
specimens of England’s national Grape, the Black 
Hamburgh, than do cultivators of the present genera¬ 
tion. 
Veitch’s Main Crop Onion.— In the head 
master’s garden at Harrow-on-the-Hill, the excellence 
of this Onion, and its superiority over other good kinds, 
is clearly demonstrated. Mr. Hay, the gardener, has 
it growing side by side on the same piece of ground, 
and under precisely the same treatment and conditions 
as James’s Long Keeping, Bedfordshire Champion, &e. 
Veitch’s Main Crop is by far the best of all, and well 
deserves its name, it being as near perfection for general 
purposes as possible.— J. B. 
Hardiness of Solanum jasminoides.— I 
was not aware of the hardiness of this grand climber 
till recently. I have been sojourning at Southsea, and 
directly opposite where I have been staying, viz., 
Stanley Street, in the front of the house of Mr. Layton, 
are two plants trained about 18 ft. high, spreading 
about 6 ft., and.full of trusses of its magnificent pure 
white flowers. It has been in flower some time and is 
likely to continue so. It is greatly admired, and 
dozens of people gaze upon it with a curiosity to know 
what it is ; in warm suitable situations this is a lovely 
object, especially as seen here.— Rusticus. 
Meconopsis nepalensis.— A well-known nur¬ 
seryman has just sent me a note, as follows:—“Mr. 
B—— informs me that you have found the secret of 
raising Meconopsis nepalensis, &c. I am glad of that, 
and hope what you have found can be made useful to 
the general public, as I am afraid most persons who 
purchase the seed from me fail to raise plants, and I 
confess I have failed also . . . . ” I justify the 
time spent on my garden on the grounds that anyone 
who tries experiments carefully, and publishes the 
results, has a useful occupation, therefore am glad to 
answer such questions 'when I can. After this some¬ 
what long preamble, I have only to state that we sow 
the seed when ripe in a rather moist shaded border, 
the soil being light loam, and more generally (as my 
wood garden happily need not be kept neat) let the 
plants shed their seed about, when a family of young 
plants come up around them. I must add that 
hitherto I have not been successful in raising M. 
Wallichii from seed. — George F. Wilson, Heather bank, 
Weybridge. 
Bean, Beck’s Dwarf Gem.— For cottagers 
who have only a limited amount of space, or to those 
connoisseurs who do not like the strong flavour so per¬ 
sistent in the Long-pod or Broad Bean, this is the sort ; 
for when cooked they are of a very deep green colour, 
though small, whilst the flavour is very mild. It is 
not more than 15 ins. high, of branching habit, which, 
in turn, gives a good crop of well-filled pods. It can 
be sown closer in the rows than the others. Judging 
by its being seldom seen or known in gardens, it cannot 
have well recommended itself, or the public taste must 
have decided that the flavour of Beans should simply be 
that of Beans.— B. L. 
Violas.—When our bedding Violas and Pansies 
here in the south are suffering so severely from drought, 
it is quite refreshing to read of their blooming so 
luxuriantly in the north, where, at least, it may be 
said, that Violas are real summer bedding - plants. 
With us they are of little use, except in the spring and 
early summer ; indeed, their season is from the be¬ 
ginning of April till the end of June. Still, it is 
important to have a class of hardy plants which make 
such beautiful effects as Violas do, and especially old 
plants. It is difficult to find from newly put-out 
plants anything like such fine results as are shown by 
old stools—plants, indeed, put out the previous spring. 
Of these last spring, I had blooming early that excellent 
white Viola Mrs. Gray, some 15 ins. to 18 ins. across, 
literally covered with flowers and wondrously effective. 
“ W. D.” asserts that Violas should be planted out in 
the autumn. That is advice more important for the 
south than the north ; there can be little doubt but 
that all plants put out in the autumn endure longer 
and flower far more profusely. One difficulty which 
has to be encountered this year is to get the plants to 
put out, as the soil is so hard-baked and dry and the 
bottoms make no growth. When planted out, even in 
August, the bottoms throw up an abundance of shoots 
in September ; then they will lift and divide capitally, 
and give plenty of robust plants in the following 
month. I have found the wiry Viola type to stand 
better through the drought than have the stoutest 
wooded kinds. Thus Archie Grant, so fine when in 
bloom, but stout in habit, has gone down in the heat 
wholesale, whilst Mrs. Gray and Yellow Boy close by 
have stood very well. I have made a white selection 
from Mrs. Gray, which promises to make the best white 
Viola for hue and habit I have seen ; but there are, 
doubtless, many of the rare northern strains very 
beautiful. Countess of Hopetoun, a pure white, soon 
collapsed here. Really, northern kinds need a lot of 
acclimatising to our greater heat before they will 
endure.— A. B. 
The National Carnation and Picotee 
Society (Southern Section).—I have just made 
an analysis of the proportion of prize-money won by 
certain exhibitors at the exhibition at South Kensing¬ 
ton in July last. I find that Mr. Douglas took thirty 
per cent.; Mr. Turner, twenty-five per cent.; leaving a 
beggarly forty-five per cent, to be distributed among all 
the other prize-winners ! ! ! How different things are 
at Oxford, where Mr. E. S. Dodwell proceeds upon the 
principle of distributing the prize-money among as 
many exhibitors as possible, so that no one or two 
take the lion’s share, as in London. — Observer. 
Pea, Royal Jubilee.—I consider this to be one 
of the best 4 ft. new Peas of the year ; possessed with a 
strong robust constitution and heavy deep green suc¬ 
culent foliage, it is more competent to produce and 
support its remarkable pods, which are well filled, 
slightly curved, and mostly containing from ten to 
twelve peas of the largest marrow type, the quality of 
them being first-class. Sown with the general cropping 
sorts, although a little later than some of them, it is 
well equipped to take its place amongst them. As a 
mid-season, or as a late sort, I have no doubt whatever 
that its constitutional qualities will render it better able 
to resist mildew, which late Peas are so much subject to. 
In general appearance it resembles that good late variety, 
Hallamsliire Hero, but is an improvement upon it in 
every respect. One pod of Jubilee, the plant of which 
accidentally got broken at the joint behind, was 7 ins. 
long, containing within it fourteen large, even, and 
well-developed peas in one continuous row. Before 
another Jubilee I hope such pods will have become 
general. I enclose a'fair sample of the Pea in question. 
— B. L. 
Seedling 1 Pansies. —IVe are in receipt of a box 
of Pansy blooms, raised from a single packet of seed, 
and must congratulate the raiser and sender, Mr. 
Thomas Murphy, The Gardens, Cleveland Lodge, Great 
Ayton, Yorks, for the possession of such an infinite 
variety of thsee old-fashioned garden plants. It is 
highly gratifying to note the love still manifested for 
the quaint beauty of these floral pets, and that 
pleasure is intensified by the knowledge that anyone 
