October 15, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
107 
public to see the need of thinking out and testing the 
question of a fruit and grain diet, we distribute to all 
at these meetings, samples of whole meal bread of 
attractive make, like “gems” and rolls, and also 
Apples and Pears, with a view to increase the popular 
interest in home-grown hardy fruits of the best dessert 
qualities. "We therefore venture to invite your readers 
to inform us if they can send any samples of their 
surplus fruit, either for distribution or for exhibition. 
The meetings held in north London during the past 
month have been, on each occasion, thronged to the 
doors by most intelligent audiences, and the greatest 
interest has been shown in the question. If ever the 
people can be got to realise all the benefits to be 
enjoyed from really good fruit, as both food and drink, 
they will study to know our own Apples and Pears, 
and will be eager to become connoisseurs of the best 
sorts, and this must tend very largely to increase the 
demand for such fruits. In fact, when the heavy 
“drink bill” of the nation is borne in mind, the 
consumption might, we see, be easily doubled of all 
our home-grown fruits every year, for some time to 
come, if the needful supply could be only put on the 
market of the most attractive and popular sorts ; for 
it is well known, that the more fruit is eaten, the less 
drink is taken. I enclose list of the meetings as far as 
arranged, to be held in the north and south of London, 
and shall be glad to send a printed copy to any of your 
readers who will apply for same.— IF. S. Manning, 
Vegetarian Society’s Depot, 62, Ludgate Hill, E.C. 
Pyrethrum uliginosum. —For autumn deco¬ 
ration of the herbaceous or shrubbery borders, where 
tall growth is required, nothing is better at this season 
of the year than this Pyrethrum. It will grow in any 
soil, and is easily propagated in the autumn after it 
has done flowering. Every piece which has roots 
attached will succeed, and so free both in growth and 
blooming is it that every stem produces flowers. It 
attains a height of from 4 ft. to 6 ft., according to 
position and soil. In a damp place it grows extra fast, 
as also in clayey soil to which has been added some 
manure.— S. 
Salvia gesnerseflora. — We witnessed a very 
effective bed of this plant in the gardens at Arbuthnot, 
Kincardineshire, in September last. The flower garden 
is situated on a steep slope, and, notwithstanding the 
previous drought, everything looked fresh, and the 
bright scarlet flowers of the Salvia, which were freely 
produced, contrasted very nicely with its own foliage, 
as well as with the smooth green turf around it. The 
leaves are narrowly heart-shaped, whitish, tomen- 
tose beneath ; and the large, handsome and conspicuous 
flowers are produced six in a whorl, and on long 
terminal racemes. Mr. J. M. Gairns grows it under 
the name of S. coccinea ; but whence the error arose 
it is difficult to say. The latter has very small leaves 
compared with S. gesneraeflora, and the flowers are 
also very much smaller. The nearest ally to the latter 
species is the Mexican S. fulgens, hut the flowers of 
the latter are more hairy, with a shorter tube, while the 
flowers are of a duller but deeper, almost crimson, 
colour ; it flowers earlier in the season, and has the 
reputed bad habit of dropping its flowers and looking 
shabby, at least when cultivated in pots, in the green¬ 
house. S. gesnerseflora flow’ers in autumn and winter 
in a greenhouse, and, all things considered, it is a much 
finer plant for garden purposes than S. fulgens or 
S coccinea, both of which are summer-flowering 
species. Considering that S. gesnerseflora is naturally 
a robust-growing species, its character as a bedding 
plant, at Arbuthnot, is highly satisfactory. It was 
first raised at Syon House, Middlesex, from seeds 
sent by Mr. Purdie from Colombia in 1840. 
Cuphea cyanea.— It would be difficult to 
account for the author’s meaning when he applied the 
above name, as there is neither a true blue in the 
flowers of this nor any other species. Nor is this the 
only confusion existing concerning it, as C. pubiflora 
and C. strigillosa are also given as synonyms. The 
latter is the more common name in gardens, and that 
by which it is known at Arbuthnot, Kincardineshire. 
As a pot plant, it is handsome enough to warrant a 
more general cultivaton, but when planted in the open 
ground, as Mr. J. M. Gairns, the gardener, treats it, 
the effect is simply charming. The plants are lifted in 
autumn, pruned back, wintered in a greenhouse, and 
again planted out with other half-hardy subjects. 
Alternating with Dahlias, and in the front row of the 
latter, were numerous specimens about a foot in height, 
bushy, and literally ablaze with its scarlet and 
yellow-tipped blooms. It is much more effective than 
C. ignea (C. platycentra), and the wonder is that 
cultivators have not recognised the fact, and used it 
extensively for the purpose indicated. 
Cnicus conspicuus. —When this noble Mexican 
Thistle was first introduced it was named Erythrolsena 
conspicua on account of the brilliancy of the flower 
heads, the inner bracts of which are saffron-red, and 
not scarlet as they are sometimes described to be. The 
plant is a biennial, like many belonging to the same 
genus, but under certain conditions seems to survive 
flowering by throwing out a side shoot or two from 
near the base of the old plant before exhausting itself 
in the flowering stem. The leaves themselves are very 
bold and interesting, with long deeply cut spiny 
tipped segments that appear arranged in two rows, and 
having the spines either brown or purplish. The stems 
vary in height from 2 ft. to 6 ft., according to the 
strength of the plant, and also branches more or less 
towards the top according to its vigour, bearing large 
conical flower heads, terminating each stem and branch. 
Coming as it does from Mexico, the protection of a 
greenhouse is necessary in this country, and seeing 
that such is the case, we cannot expect, except in rare 
cases, that sufficient root room would be given it in 
order to develop to the size it does when under favour¬ 
able conditions in its native home. Owing to its 
biennial nature it appears and disappears from time to 
time in this country. A specimen flowered recently 
with Mr. Cruickshank, of Glenbervie, Kincardine¬ 
shire, and threw up fresh growth from the base after¬ 
wards. 
Othonna crassifolia as a Window Plant. 
—Of this South African genus there are about eighty 
known species exhibiting a wide diversity of character, 
both as to the stems and leaves, the present one having 
pendent stems and cylindrical leaves, while others are 
erect, and either herbaceous or shrubby, with entire or 
variously cut and pinnatifid, frequently white cottony 
leaves. Plants of the latter class constitute useful and 
showy greenhouse plants, while 0. crassifolia is best 
known as a basket plant, and generally grown in stoves 
or greenhouses ; but its suitability as a window plant 
does not seem to be very widely known. "We recently 
saw it in excellent condition in the gardener’s cottage 
at Glenbervie, Kincardineshire, where the slender stems 
hung down gracefully at a great length. Under these 
conditions it does not flower very frequently, but the 
small yellow flower heads are a secondary matter com¬ 
pared with the pendent stems, and curious pale green, 
fleshy leaves. "We subsequently saw it in other windows 
in the locality, and can speak of its suitability and 
pretty appearance for the purpose. 
Violas : Autumn Planting. —At p. 789 of 
your last volume, your esteemed correspondent, 1 ‘ W. 
D.,” emphasised the remark that Violas ought to be 
planted in autumn and not left until the spring. This 
may be sound advice to give your southern readers, 
with whom Violas are only fitted for early spring 
display before the season becomes too hot for them. 
Under such circumstances, cuttings can be taken from 
the plants and struck earlier, and be planted out 
earlier in their permanent quarters for winter. Here 
we dare not trust them out, as our soil being naturally 
heavy, they would inevitably perish. A bird in the hand 
is worth two in the bush, and in the frames, or protected 
in nursery quarters through severe weather, we know 
they are safe ; moreover, what is spring in one district 
is advancing summer in another ; and if we took the 
cuttings before September, we should really be killing 
the goose that lays the golden eggs, as many varieties 
are then at their best. Late-struck plants, I find, are 
very little later in blooming than when struck pro¬ 
portionately earlier. In the case of spring planting, 
March, or not later than the second week in April, is 
recommended. This may hold good in the south, 
but we prefer the end of April, as even in the second 
week of that month we have had them lifted by 
frost in hundreds. Our staple sorts include the 
following, some of which, though old, are to be 
thoroughly relied upon : —Sulphur-yellow : Ardwell 
Gem, Greavi, and Cloth of Gold. White: Pilrig 
Park, Mrs. Gray, and Champion. Purple blotched : 
Countess of Kintore, Magpie, and Skylark, white edged 
with blue, but apt to run on the top petals, yet a 
distinct variety. Blue and purple : Holyrood, Beauty 
of Norton, the old Perfection, and a local variety called 
Mahogany, somewhat similar to Cannell’s Bronze 
Bedder. The reader who wishes for an extended list 
of newer and, perhaps, better sorts I would refer to 
p. 789, or to your advertising columns.— B. L. 
Apple, Rood Ashton Seedling.— Mr. A. 
Miller, The Gardens, Rood Ashton Park, Trowbridge, 
has just sent me a sample of a very fine-looking culinary 
Apple he showed at Bath early in September, under 
the name of Rood Ashton Seedling. It is a large fruit, 
with a bright rosy red base ; the tree is a remarkably 
free bearer, it cooks well, and will keep until early in 
March. If distinct it promises to become a valuable 
late variety. Mr. Miller states that it cooks as well as 
Stirling Castle and Hawthomden in September. So it 
is good both early and late. Mr. Miller illustrates its 
cropping qualities by stating that he this season 
gathered four sacks from one tree only—an ordinary 
orchard standard. It is said to have been raised by a 
cottager in the neighbourhood of Rood Ashton Park, 
Trowbridge.— R. D. 
-->X<-- 
ORCHID RO TES AMD GLEANINGS. 
The Rattlesnake Orchid.— While Pholidota 
imbricata can neither be recommended as being con¬ 
spicuous nor showy, it is certainly pretty, and on 
account of its distinctness, has a fair claim to be 
included in any except a small collection of Orchids 
It has flowered exceedingly well at Tower House, 
Chiswick, under the care of Mr. Bones, who lays no 
claim to being a specialist in the cultivation of Orchids. 
The long curved spikes of small flowers seated in the 
axils of closely arranged hollow or hooded bracts, has 
given rise to the popular name, from the fact of the 
short-jointed spike and bulky bracts resembling the 
joints or segments of a rattlesnake. The individual 
flowers are small, and pale yellow, tinted with violet, 
and are remarkable for the large quantity of nectar, or 
as it is popularly termed, honey, which each contains, 
and which glistens like crystal. Being a native of the 
East Indies it requires stove temperature and treatment 
similar to that accorded the Coelogynes. 
Cymbidium giganteum. —There seems to be 
some variability both in the colours and in the time of 
flowering of this Orchid. As figured by Lindley, the 
whole flower is of a dull brownish colour, relieved 
possibly by a few deeper coloured spots on the lip, 
which is somewhat tinted yellow. The latter organ is 
the most variable as to colour, and exhibits instances of 
a deeper tinted yellow, and others with a considerable 
amount of white, which has the effect of bringing out 
the spotting in an attractive and clearly defined' 
manner. The other kind of variation relates to the 
period of flowering which takes place in the autumn, 
winter, or spring in different individuals, and which 
may be possibly affected to a certain extent according 
to treatment. A specimen has been flowering for some 
time at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, which may be looked 
upon as leading the van for the season, and we shall 
have a continuance on different plants from now well into 
spring. Although this species is named C. giganteum, 
the flowers are neither so large nor so showy as those of 
C. Lowianum, but have certainly a bold and striking 
appearance characteristically their own. The species is 
sometimes considered difficult to flower, but from what 
we have seen of it, the flowers are as freely produced as 
are some of the more highly eulogised ones. 
--i-X-c-- 
TOBACCO CULTURE. 
The growth of the Tobacco plant in this country 
seems to have largely increased this year, no less than 
fifty-five persons having obtained the sanction of the 
Revenue department to its cultivation for experimental 
purposes, the total area of the plots planted being about 
twenty acres, fully four times as much as that of last 
year. The preceding season was held not to have been 
an unfavourable one, and yet we learn that out of 
twenty-four diverse crops that year, whilst twenty 
matured so far as ordinary culture was concerned, only 
in six cases was the product of sufficiently good quality 
to warrant the growers in paying duty, all the rest 
being destroyed. That was not a very encouraging 
result, although something of this comparative failure 
might have been due to improper cultivation, un¬ 
desirable kinds, or other causes. In any case the fact 
seems very obvious that given a cold wet summer, and 
Tobacco culture in this country must result in absolute 
failure. 
The present season should, however, fairly test the 
capacity of the country to produce Tobacco adapted for 
ordinary consumption. We have had unusual heat 
and sunshine with little rain, weather aspects which 
should materially help the maturation of the leafage ; 
there has been also the experience of the previous year’s 
cultivation, and knowledge of kiuds to guide growers; 
and should no better results flow from this year’s 
experiments than we obtained last year, then Tobacco 
must be a failure. Agriculturists will hardly find 
compensation for losses in other directions by following 
a possible “ Will of the Wisp.”— X. 
