April 14, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
519 
tant attribute of a short-tubed flower, as Emilia is only 
of medium size ; it is netted with crimson on a white 
ground. A light-coloured but showy form is Southey, 
a hulb of which hears two spikes and eight flowers of 
comparatively small size with long narrow tubes. Her 
Majesty is a beautiful flower of the old type, and as 
nearly white as any in flower at present, its purity 
being marred only by scarlet lines above the middle of 
the upper segments. The foliage is good, and two 
spikes, hearing in the aggregate eight flowers from a 
hulb, combine to make the variety not only attractive 
but highly desirable, notwithstanding its more favoured 
compeers. __ 
NEW PLANTS CERTIFICATED 
By the Floral Committee of the R. H. S. 
April 10th. 
Bignonia Tweediana. 
"We less seldom see this species than might be the 
case. It is a native of Buenos Ayres, and may be grown 
in a stove, as in the present instance, or in a greenhouse, 
the only difference being that it flowers earlier in the 
warm temperature. The flowers are of great size, 
produced singly in the axils of the leaves on short 
lateral branches, but with great freedom along the 
slender sprays of this plant, which climbs by means of 
three hooks from the apex of the leaves. The hooks 
are often entirely absent in the neighbourhood of the 
flowers; and the leaf consists of two evergreen lanceolate 
acuminate deep green leaflets. The tube of the flower 
is yellow, the limb deeply five-parted, oblique, and 
orange-yellow. There are two curious ridges running 
down into the throat of the flower, alternating with 
three orange lines. Exhibited by Mr. F. Boss, gardener 
to Sir George Macleay, Pendell Court, Bletchingley. 
Inis STYLOSA ALBA. 
The flowers of the white variety seem smaller than in 
the typical form, but, notwithstanding, they are very 
showy, and a very valuable addition to the list of hardy 
plants. The only protection necessary is shelter 
from wind and rain, to prevent the flowers being 
destroyed in our variable climate. The falls are broadly 
oblong and white, with a bright yellow midrib on the 
lower half. The standards are erect, narrower, and 
white with a yellow claw, while the petaloid stigmas 
are pure white. Exhibited by Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale 
Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
CORDYLINE AUSTRALIS VARIEGATA. 
A young but moderate-sized plant of this was shown, 
which was well furnished with foliage to the pot. As 
is well known, the leaves of this species are long, 
linear and narrow, spreading, forming a very beautiful 
close bush. The variegation consists of creamy yellow 
or white hands, of somewhat variable breadth, extending 
along the margins of the leaves. Exhibited by Mr. 
B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper 
Holloway. 
Selaginella cuspidata crispa. 
The plant of this shown did not exceed 4 ins. or 5 ins. 
in height, while many of the feathery branching stems 
were even shorter. The latter were three or four times 
divided or branched, and densely covered with small 
deep green leaves. The typical form grows from 6 ins. 
to 12 ins. in height, and the variety appears to owe its 
character to the non-development of the intemodes, 
while the crisped appearance, as implied by the varietal 
name, is due to the incurving of the short and final 
divisions of the leafy pinnae or branches. Exhibited 
by Mr. B. S. Williams. 
Bosa polyantha grandiflora. 
The individual flowers are of great size for this small- 
flowered species, which are single with broad white 
petals. The stamens are curiously twisted and rolled 
up in a mass in the centre of the flower as if 
imperfect and barren. The foliage is good, the indi¬ 
vidual leaves being large, dark green, and consisting of 
five to seven leaflets, while the terminal one is by far 
the largest, and ovate lance-shaped. Being well spread 
over the bush, the large white flowers are very con¬ 
spicuous. Exhibited by Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt. 
Amaryllis. 
Conqueror. —On the top of a scape about .2 ft. in 
height, three flowers with a diameter of 3 ins. were 
borne. They are so flattened that the tube is almost 
obliterated. The segments are broad, nearly regular, 
much imbricated, and brilliant scarlet, with a short 
broad, greenish-white, six-rayed star. On the [whole, 
the flower exhibits great improvements from the 
florist’s and hybridist’s point of view. 
Rodney. —Four flowers of great size were borne on this 
plant, of a brilliant scarlet, blotched or variegated with 
white in the lower portion, with a broad white midrib 
extending along each segment from the base to beyond 
its middle. 
Miss Boberts. —The scape of this variety, hearing 
two flowers, was about 15 ins. in height ; the flowers 
are beautifully lined and netted all over with scarlet on 
a white ground. A purple ring on the very base of the 
flower is also sufficiently conspicuous to constitute a 
feature of the flower when close under the eye. 
Finette. —This exhibits a near approach to white, 
but is, notwithstanding, a pretty and attractive flower, 
owing to the scarlet lines that radiate from the base of 
the upper segments. Similar lines also occupy the 
upper longitudinal half of the three lower segments, 
while the lowest segment is pure white. The tube is 
short, the segments broad and imbricated, while the 
whole flower is well expanded. All exhibited by 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Emperor Frederick. —In this we have a magnifi¬ 
cent variety hearing enormous flowers with broadly 
imbricating and strongly revolute segments. The scape 
was 2 ft. in height and almost equalled by the well- 
developed foliage. A long tube characterises the 
flowers of this variety, which are of a rich scarlet, with 
a conspicuous six-rayed white star extending to the 
middle of the segments. Exhibited by Mr. B. S. 
Williams. 
Carnations. 
Purple King. —The flowers of this bold and con¬ 
spicuous new tree Carnation average about 3 ins. in 
diameter and are borne on stems about 3 ft. in height. 
They are self coloured and of a deep rich purple-lake, 
fully double and well formed. As a rule the petals are 
margined with minute teeth, but so inconspicuous as 
to be unnoticeahle. The foliage is good, being rigid, 
ample, and of a deep glaucous colour. 
Mrs. W. H. Grenfell. —The stems of this new tree 
variety are about the same height as those of Purple 
King, with self-coloured, scarcely smaller flowers. 
They are, however, of a pure deep pink, with the petals 
shallowly toothed at the margins. Both are valuable 
acquisitions to this class of florists’ flower, and from a 
decorative point of view deserve a place in every col¬ 
lection of choice kinds. Exhibited by Mr. Charles 
Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough. 
Cineraria, Maria. 
A pure white of first-class quality is a highly desirable 
thing, and in C. Maria we may say we have obtained 
it. The only exception to its purity is the small deep 
violet disk in the centre. The flower heads are of 
medium size when compared with the huge forms 
amongst the daik-coloured kinds; but they are of 
great substance, with broad, neatly and regularly over¬ 
lapping rays, that give great grace to the whole head. 
The dwarf habit of the plant, and the well-developed 
foliage, are evidence of superior cultivation. Exhibited 
by Mr. J. James, Woodside, Farnham Royal. 
-- 
otes from Scotland. 
— ^ — 
Vegetable Notes. — -Small Seeds. —It is generally 
supposed that in many northern districts it is useless 
to sow seeds such as Brussels Sprouts, Curled Kale, 
Parsnips, Onions, and Leeks during the latter half of 
April, and realise anything like a profitable return of 
crops from sowings thus protracted. It often happens 
that cultivators have to be contented with such late 
seed sowing or none ; and this year there will be more 
of this experience than usual, as there has not been a 
single day, except one or two, at the beginning of the 
past month on which one could sow seeds. Frost at 
night and drifting snow or sleet during the day kept 
the ground at all times like a puddle, but has been in 
excellent condition during the present month, April, 
for the sowing of all garden crops. Casting the seed 
into well-cultivated ground, turned over to the influence 
of sun and air gives them an advantage over those 
sown in wet ungenial soil, though the operation may 
have been performed a month earlier. TV"e have 
noticed frequently that Potato planters who have 
waited patiently to get their land into the desired 
condition, have far greater success than those who have 
been in undue haste, and planted when the ground 
was entirely out of proper condition. Last year we 
were anxious to get some new ground into condition 
for Potatos, and not to lose the season we had the sets 
placed regularly over a spare piece of ground, and 
covered with soil—they went on sprouting, and when 
the land was in order these Potatos were planted with 
spade and line, one lifting the soil while the other 
dropped the set, which did not suffer by the delay, late 
in March, hut the size of the Potatos at lifting time 
were extra large, and more numerous than the earlier 
plantations. 
Celery sown under hand-lights, covered with fine 
soil, and protected with mats during frosty nights, has 
been most serviceable. There will be a good supply of 
well-blanched heads for weeks to come ; loss from 
rotting has been nominal, no protection by litter or 
other material was given, so it may he encouraging to 
those who have not sown seed prior to April, to know 
that they may do so yet, with the likelihood of 
realising fair crops. Our Celery was all planted on 
the surface of the ground in beds of three or four 
rows, and well-mulched to protect the roots, as we had 
no water for them. 
Asparagus. —There is often great difficulty in estab¬ 
lishing Asparagus roots in damp and low-lying positions, 
and the finest are as liable to decay as the young and 
tender ones, such as cultivators desire for spring 
planting. Seed sowing where the roots are to remain 
permanently has decidedly proved—so far as our obser¬ 
vations go—the only system, under such conditions, 
whereby Asparagus roots can be established ; and some 
amount of care and labour is necessary to get seedlings 
to live over the first year after they have made their 
season’s growth. On very rich land they do not ripen 
in good time, and are therefore liable to succumb to 
the winter’s frost or damp. The present is a good 
time to sow seed on well-prepared ground, which has 
been deeply trenched. Plenty of rough material having 
been placed in the bottom of the trenches for drainage, 
a goodly portion of sand should be dug into the surface 
of the ground, and when the seed is sown it "should bo 
bursting the skins by having previously been steeped 
in water to start the embryo plants. It is well to sow 
the seed on the surface of the soil, and cover it with 
light kindly stuff, such as leaf-soil, to induce rapid 
root action and encourage the fibres to keep near the 
surface until the Asparagus plants become established. 
Manure water can, with good effect, be supplied early 
in the season, but not late enough to promote gross 
growth. Heavy coatings of manure have a decided 
tendency to encourage the decay of roots during winter. 
Leaf-soil and sand placed over the ridges as protection 
in winter is a safe procedure. By the methods we have 
indicated, good healthy roots are established where 
they could not at one time live. — Caledonian. 
Bedding' Plants.—The late severe and most un¬ 
seasonable weather has rendered the management of 
ordinary bedding plants somewhat difficult to those 
whose glass structures are inadequate for the protection 
of their stock, and we know some of the plant-loving 
amateur classes, who have almost given up the growth 
of tender bedding plants, because of the work and care 
necessary to get them into condition worth the planting 
at the proper season, and have found much pleasure, 
and achieved great success by the planting of hardy 
flowering plants, well backed with the numerous foliage 
kinds now so well known to be excellent auxiliaries in 
decorating flower gardens and parterres. Pansies, of 
the showy fancy kinds (from seed sown in autumn in 
open borders, or early in the spring season in warmth), 
and Violas treated in the same manner, are of great 
value where gay beds and continuous flowering are 
desired. Pentstemons are now so good that their value 
is becoming every season more appreciated. One of 
the evils very common among amateurs is the coddling 
of hardy plants during the autumn, rendering them 
very susceptible of injury during the winter months. 
Calceolarias, too, are often ruined by this “over 
kindly ” treatment. Looking over our own stocks of 
these, which are treated on the most hardy system we 
can adopt with safety, losses are few, labour has been 
of minimum extent, and the plants are in robust 
health, and when such are placed in the deeply dug 
well-enriched soil, there is little fear of failure during 
the flowering season ; and although we have abundance 
of plants under wide sheets of glass, the hardy subjects 
are much valued. Calceolaria cuttings are put in 
during the latter part of September or during October, 
on a common border in a vegetable garden, with a little 
sand spread over the surface of the soil, over which 
shallow frames are placed later, and after a long winter 
we have no losses. Violas and Pansies, both seedlings 
and cuttings, are wintered in the same manner. They 
will be planted out soon for summer and autumn 
decoration. Their previous hardy treatment removes 
all doubts of their being subject to disease.— Caledonian, 
