154 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Xovember 5, 1887. 
ARDENING ffflSCELLANY. 
Amaryllis Belladonna. — Seeing that such 
success attends the cultivation of this grand autumn¬ 
flowering bulb at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, it is 
matter for wonder that others in the neighbourhood 
of London do not try the same thing. The bulbs, 
which remain in the ground from year to year un¬ 
molested, are planted in a narrow border along the 
front of two houses, kept at different temperatures, 
and it is surprising to see how much these bulbs are 
affected by it, although planted outside. Those in 
front of the house, kept at a higher temperature, are 
about a fortnight in advance of those alongside the 
cooler house. In early spring, when the young foliage 
is pushing up, the same sequence is observed. For 
those who require a great quantity of cut flowers, no 
cheaper or easier method could be adopted of raising 
them, they being equally as good a short time ago as 
what they would have been had they been grown in 
pots all the year round. An annual mulching of 
farmyard manure is all the routine of cultivation 
necessary, except stirring the surface of the border 
occasionally'and keeping it clear of weeds. 
Quereus coccinea. —This is a very distinct 
Oak, of American origin, and it is curious to note that 
plants raised from seed produce remarkably large leaves 
on the young shoots, some of them measuring from 
7 ins. to 9 ins. in length, and. 6 ins. in breadth. At 
this stage the leaves are more smooth at the edges ; 
but as the trees grow in size they become gradually 
smaller and more serrated. Some of them have a 
beautiful coppery bronze hue at this time. — B. L. 
Funkia subcordata grandiflora. —What a 
fine old plant this is, and how useful at the present 
season ! A specimen in the conservatory, with thirteen 
expanded blossoms and sixty-eight to follow, is de¬ 
liciously fragrant and much appreciated. It never 
expands its flowers here outside. — ff. Bolas, Hopton, 
TVirksworth. 
Winter Treatment of Stove Plants.— The 
winter months are drawing near, and during their 
continuance it is necessary that extra care should be 
exercised in the course of treatment to be pursued with 
regard to the occupants of the stove, and, it may be 
added, to all plants in general. The growing season 
being over, less water must be given, because less is 
required. The same restriction applies to the damping 
down of the floors, which should be carefully done, 
keeping the water off the pipes, creating steam, as it 
does, thereby increasing the moisture in the house. 
The result of an excess of moisture can be observed by 
the points of the leaves of Crotons and Dracaenas turn¬ 
ing yellow and unsightly. The temperature of the 
stove should be 65° to 70° at night, with an increase 
during the day-time. Every plant should be subjected 
to a thorough sponging with soft soap and water. 
Stephanotis, if trained along the roof, may be cut 
down, cutting away all superfluous wood, then cleaning 
each leaf carefully, and if mealy bug is noticed paraffin 
oil mixed with water and soap effectually destroys 
them. The pots and the house should be scrubbed 
also, rendering everything sweet and clean. This is 
not only pleasing to the eye, but what is more important 
conducive to the health and vigour of the plants. 
To digress a little from the point, although flowers are 
not abundant, Allamanda Hendersoni still yields a 
good supply, which will soon be supplemented by 
Toxicophlsea spectabilis, with its beautiful bunches of 
white sweetly-scented flowers produced from the axils of 
the leaves. — F. R. S. 
Cassia corymbosa. —Amongst many other 
plants at Caversham Rectory, near Reading, are some 
examples of the old Cassia corymbosa, about 4 ft. high 
and as much through, and nicely in flower. The 
racemes of intense bright yellow flowers, which are 
produced in great profusion, render it most attractive ; 
and the same plants have been in flower for nearly 
four months. Mr. Parham, the gardener, grows many 
good old neglected plants most satisfactorily.— A. 0. 
Othonna crassifolia as a Bedding 1 Plant. 
—I do not know if it is generally known that this 
plant comes in well for carpet bedding. Mr. Harper, 
of Duthie Park, Aberdeen, has used it for two or three 
years with capital effect. This past summer I had it 
covering a pot of Dracaena, planted out in a vase 
standing 3 4 ft. from the ground, and very much 
exposed. It then lost its drooping habit, but filled the 
vase with immense clusters of large, thick, fleshy 
leaves; and since its removal into the greenhouse it 
has been throwing up its little yellow flowers in great 
abundance. I have seldom seen anything prettier to 
fill up the ground-work of a vase than it was and now 
is, with the flowers abundant and the drooping habit 
again beginning to show itself. —John Sim, The Temple, 
Frumlithie, Kincardineshire. 
Wind, and the Fruit.—1 see an error has crept 
into my remarks on the above on p. 139, which I deem 
of sufficient importance to ask you to allow me to correct, 
although I dare say most of your readers have already 
done this for themselves. Hear the bottom of the first 
paragraph for “showers” read “storms,” and the 
sentence will be correct. Beyond causing Althorp 
Crassane and one or two other Pears to crack, showers 
have no ill effects on the fruit under notice, as every 
gardener knows. I may add that the absence of wind 
during September and the best part of October has been 
the means of late fruit attaining their full dimensions, 
while in other years, alarmed by the winds, owners of 
fruit trees have hastened to gather the fruit before it 
has been really ready. AVe have made a practice of 
securing a portion of each sort as soon as the pips are 
fairly brown, and have invariably found the greater 
part inclined to shrivel before Christmas, but even in 
that state they are better than none at all. — TV. P. R. 
Radishes, China Rose, and Black 
Spanish. —Amongst other kinds in the trial-grounds 
of Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, at Chiswick, are the two 
varieties mentioned. The China Rose we should re¬ 
commend as an excellent sort for autumn and winter 
use. The root or edible fleshy part is oblong, and in 
the typical form suddenly tapers to a point, ending in 
a slender tap-root; but other forms of an obconical 
shape often appear among them. In colour they are of 
a rosy red, fading to a pale lively rose downwards, and 
at the tip are nearly white. On the whole they have a 
smooth skin and clean tempting appearance, and are 
tender and crisp, with a pleasant flavour when eaten, 
but rather strongly pungent. It is a very old kind, 
but might be more frequently grown for autumn and 
winter purposes. The names Rose-coloured Chinese 
and Radis d’Hiver de Chine are sometimes applied to 
it, the latter being the French name. The Black 
Spanish is, more strictly speaking, a winter Radish, 
and extremely hardy. This may arise from the great 
solidity of the flesh, so called, which resembles in 
texture that of the Horse Radish, and is, perhaps, as 
pungent. It is the Radis Hoir d’Hiver (Raifort), of the 
French, and has large oval or Pear-shaped roots, or 
bulbs as they are called, and taper into a long slender 
tap-root. Externally the skin is rough and dark- 
coloured, but can scarcely be described as black. There 
is a white variety tinted with green, which is milder in 
flavour. 
Bullace Plum. —There are two forms of this, the 
Prunus insititia of the botanist, occurring in a doubt¬ 
fully wild state in this country—namely, the black 
and the white. "When fully matured, the latter name 
is not peculiarly appropriate, as the fruits are then pale 
yellow, although in a growing and unripened state they 
can more justly lay claim to the appellation of White 
Bullace. The latter is grown at Devonliurst, Chiswick, 
where they became fully matured about a week or two 
ago. The fruits are about twice the size of a marble, 
with a clear, pale yellow, sub-transparent, and shining 
skin, more or less heavily suffused with red on the 
exposed side. The flesh is pale yellow, juicy, soft, and 
sweet, readily parting from the stone, which is smooth 
and Almond-shaped, with sometimes a sharp elevated 
ridge along one side. The flesh also readily parts from 
the stone, and has a rich flavour when finely and fully 
ripened. 
Jersey Gratioli Pear.— Sixty of the most 
prominent Pears at the National Pear Conference held 
at Chiswick, selected by the committee and recom¬ 
mended for general cultivation, included the above- 
named sort, which is a short roundish variety of 
medium size, ripening in October. AVe recently saw it 
at Devonhurst, Chiswick, where the trees were well 
furnished with finely-formed fruit. It is ready for use 
soon after gathering, when the flesh proves melting and 
somewhat gritty, but possessed of a rich and very 
agreeable flavour. The skin is greenish yellow, ulti¬ 
mately almost losing the latter tint, and often heavily 
suffused with russet on the exposed side ; the flesh is 
white. It does not keep well after the ripening month 
already given, but bears well as a standard in the south 
of England. It is also useful for growing as a pyramid 
on the Quince, and for bush culture on the same stock. 
Morello and May Duke Cherries. —The 
first-named is familiar to almost every cultivator as a 
Cherry that is almost certain to bear a good crop every 
year, and which by planting on a south aspect wall 
will ripen its fruit in July or August; but when planted 
on a northern aspect the fruit is both late in ripening, 
and if protection be afforded against birds and other 
depredators, will hang on the trees in excellent con¬ 
dition till October. The May Duke is almost, if not 
equally, extensively grown, and regarded as the type of 
another section. Both are highly popular for culinary 
purposes from their agreeable acid character. The 
maximum of acidity is reached in the Morello and some 
others of its allies, whereas in the case of the May 
Duke and its allies, the acidity .present is of a mild 
character. Both are dwarf or small-growing trees, the 
former being characterised by a slender and drooping 
or sub-pendulous habit, whereas the Duke is an upright 
or fastigiate tree. On account of their dwarf-growing 
nature they are most profitably or most conveniently 
grown on the Mahaleb Cherry (Prunus ilahaleb) stock. 
The latter is an ornamental tree of great beauty and 
small stature, on which account it is grown as an 
ornamental tree on the lawn or pleasure ground. The 
beauty of the foliage attracted our attention the other 
•day upon seeing young trees grown in great quantity 
at Messrs. C. Lee & Son’s nursery, Ealing, as stocks for 
the two trees above mentioned. They thrive remark¬ 
ably on the Mahaleb, as we had evidence in a splendid 
lot of maiden trees, the long shoots of which were 
thickly set with flower buds, and were at the same time 
healthy and strong. Fan-trained specimens about 3 ft. 
or 4 ft. in height, and grafted on the same stock, are 
also in excellent and vigorous condition. 
Insecticide Capsules. —A substance consisting 
of sulphur of carbon, put up in capsules of 5, 10 or 
25 grammes, is made and sold by Eugene Remilly, 
manufacturing chemist, 75, Rue des Chantiers, A’ersailles, 
France, for the destruction of ants, phylloxera, and 
other insect pests to agriculture and horticulture. 
Sulphur of carbon is eulogised in the French, Belgian 
and Swiss journals as an excellent insecticide, and as 
such has also been recommended by the Superior 
Phylloxera Commission. It is a dangerous liquid 
when handled in an open state by workmen, who 
inhale the unwholesome vapour, and is also likely to 
explode during manipulation ; but when made up in 
capsules it is quite safe, and can be kept lor an in¬ 
definite period of time in a dry place without risk of 
explosion. Capsules containing 5 grammes are used 
to protect greenhouse and delicate flowers and vege¬ 
tables in general ; those containing 10 grammes are 
used for the destruction of the insects mentioned ; and 
those containing 25 grammes are used to destroy rats, 
mice, field-mice, and moles. The capsules may be 
introduced to the earth by means of an injector, by 
ploughing, or, best of all, by making a hole about 
9 ins. to 12 ins. in depth, and inserting the capsule 
mouth downwards, covering in the hole by a thrust of 
the heel. 
A Neat Tub for Plant Growing 1 . — AYe 
noticed the other day at Parkside, Ravenscourt Park, 
Hammersmith, a simple, but neat and ornamental tub 
of a French pattern, that would prove of great service 
in which to grow large plants that are kept for long 
periods of time in a conservatory. It would obviate 
the necessity of large pots, that frequently become an 
eye-sore, or are so liable to become green and dirty as 
to necessitate a great amount of labour in washing. 
The material is of oak, the panels of great thickness, 
and is calculated to be very durable. The tub is 
not quite round, but has a blunt angle or elevation at 
the juncture of each panel; and each of the latter is 
scooped out or concave along the middle. The whole 
is bound together by four galvanised-iron rods, two 
near the top, and two near the bottom. The tub is 
readily lifted, or carried from place to place by means 
of two iron handles fastened to a plate of the same 
material, and secured to the tub by means of two bolts 
that pass through the wood, and are secured by nuts 
on the inside. The whole is of neat and simple con¬ 
struction, and the wood being polished and stained, 
is very effective and pleasing to the eye. Mr. Aitken 
utilises such tubs for tree Ferns in the conservatory. 
The Golden Polypody. —Although botanists 
now name this Polypodium aureum, the gardening 
fraternity still recognise it under the old appellation of 
Phlebodium aureum. Naturally it is a large-growing 
species, and to see it in full beauty it must be grown 
to considerable size. Market growers and others, 
however, who do much in the decorative way, usually 
grow large quantities for the beau ty of the foliage alone, 
which is of a deeply glaucous blue tint, even from the 
infant state of the plant. In this latter condition the 
individual leaves, popularly termed fronds, are very 
