May 26, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
619 
It is described by Professor Eeichenbacb as closely 
allied to C. Godefroyse, but differs in the longer blunter 
leaves, and in the staminode, which, is triangular, and 
sub-cordate at the base, not showing the three teeth that 
are seen in C. Godefroy®. If the staminode does not 
prove constant, the plant will have to be classed as a 
variety of the latter. The sepals and petals are white, 
heavily blotched with dark purple, and the lip has 
smaller spots. Exhibited by Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., 
Clapton. 
DlSA RACEMOSA. 
This beautiful species is synonymous with D. secunda, 
and is a native of South Africa. It was first flowered 
in Britain by Mr. James O’Brien, Harrow-on-the-Hill, 
in the autumn of 1887. The flowers are borne on a 
one-sided raceme, and vary from seven to fourteen in 
number. The large rose-coloured sepals present a 
refined and even more pleasing appearance than those 
of D. grandiflora, because less glaring in colour. The 
upper sepal is hooded, and is curiously saccate or 
furnished with a short blunt horn on the back. The 
petals are much smaller, oblong, truncate, three-toothed, 
and dark purple. The lip is also very small and rosy. 
The foliage and habit of the plant are similar to those 
of D. grandiflora. From the Eoyal Gardens, Kew. 
Epidexdrum James O’Brien. 
In this we have another Sedenian hybrid, the seed 
parent of which was E. erectum, and the pollen parent 
E. rhizophorum, while the progeny exhibits a colour 
intermediate between the purple of the female parent, 
and the scarlet of the pollen parent. The deeply three- 
lobed lip is dark red, with ragged or deeply-toothed 
segments, and has a golden yellow disk. The alter¬ 
nate oblong horizontal leaves resemble those of the 
female parent, and the habit is also similar. The 
flowers are borne in a close raceme, terminating a 
naked portion of the stem, and we expect them to 
improve both in size and number when the plant gains 
in strength, as it is only about six years old. Exhibited 
by Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Haberlea rhodopexsis. 
Two Gesnerads only are indigenous to Europe, and 
the present one is as rare as it is beautiful. The com¬ 
panion plant is Eamondia pyrenaica. Both plants are 
hardy, but delight in having their roots squeezed in 
between stones on a rather shady part of the rockery. 
A pane of glass placed over them in winter will throw 
off the wet—which is injurious—and materially help 
them, especially the Haberlea, which has shortly 
tubular or lipped flowers, the tube being purple on the 
exterior ; the limb is white and the throat spotted with 
yellow and purple, and is hairy. The flower stems, of 
which there were eighteen or twenty on the plant, vary 
from 2 ins. to 4 ins. in height, carrying a number of 
flowers on each stem. It is a native of the mountains 
of Macedonia. From the Eoyal Gardens, Kew. 
P.3EOXIA MOUTAN, PRINCE ALBERT. 
Side by side with the craving for double flowers seems 
to exist the desire for single varieties, of which this is 
one. The flowers are of large size, with obovate petals 
arranged in a double series, somewhat undulated or 
plaited, and rose-coloured, suffused with carmine. The 
broad open centres exhibit the yellow stamens, and the 
flower on the whole is bright and attractive. Exhibited 
by Mr. "W. Gordon, Twickenham, Middlesex. 
Prostanthera lasianthos. 
Of the thirty-eight known species, all of which are 
indigenous to Australia, a few only have been introduced, 
and the present species is the best. It thrives best in 
a greenhouse, but is almost hardy in the more favoured 
parts of this country. The flowers are borne in large 
panicles terminating the stems and branches, and a 
pyramidal plant some 5 ft. in height is a pretty sight. 
The corolla is of good average size, hairy all over 
internally, and white spotted with purple at the base 
inside. The lanceolate, opposite leaves are agreeably 
fragrant, and the plant in its native habitats is known 
as the Victorian Dogwood. Exhibited by Mr. F. Eoss, 
gardener to Sir George Macleay, Pendell Court, 
Bletchingley. 
Tea Eose, Sappho. 
For description of this new variety, see p. 603. Ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, "Waltham Cross. 
How to Catch Crickets. —For the information of 
those who may be troubled with these pests in plant 
houses, we may say that they are very effectually kept 
under by Mr. Henry Pomroy, gardener to S. Barlow, 
Esq., Stakehill House, Castleton, by simply sinking 
small gallipots up to the rims in the borders, and 
three parts filling them with treacle. The bait seems 
to be quite irresistible. 
Gardening 
ISCELLANY. 
Lychees. 
Though apparently familiar to the market people, yet 
it was evident that the Chinese Lychees, of which 
curious fruits Mr. J. B. Thomas showed a Tea-chestful 
at the recent Temple show', were strange to the majority 
of visitors as well as to gardeners. It would be inter¬ 
esting to learn from an authoritative source something 
concerning this fruit, the nature of the plant upon 
which it is produced, the manner of its production, and 
its general adaptability to dessert purposes. The shells 
were of a reddish brown colour, in size about that of a 
small "Walnut, but of the shape of a Peach-stone and 
much rougher—in fact, about as useful an article to 
scratch an irritating part of the body with as could be 
desired. The shells also are thin and brittle—indeed, 
very easily broken by mere pressure, and then the fruit 
within, which is like a small half-dried Plum, is easily 
extracted and eaten. This fruit does not half fill the 
shell, but may, perchance, do so fully when in an 
unripe state. It eats much like a half-dried French 
Plum or Prune, but is a little softer, and has a some¬ 
what Guava-like flavour. It resembles an ordinary 
Eaisin in size and appearance. A representation of the 
plant on the chest-lid showed it to be a climber, and 
with foliage not unlike the Lophospermum scandens or 
some similar plant. Further information would be 
very acceptable.— A. D. [Nephelium Litchi is a native 
of Southern China, and is an erect-growing tree, about 
20 ft. high, with leathery, pinnate, evergreen leaves, 
and panicles of small greenish flowers, which are without 
petals. It belongs to the same family as our Maples, 
but is more nearly allied to the Soapberry, a somewhat 
similar fruit.— Ed.] 
Rhododendron, George Hardy. 
This is the name of a hardy variety which has been 
attracting a great deal of attention at the Manchester 
show during the past week, and which is a plant that 
excites our interest and commands our admiration at 
once. It is of singular interest, inasmuch as it is -one 
of the first crosses obtained between a Bhotan species 
and the hardy E. Catawbiense ; while its wonderful 
attractiveness is found in its large truss of pearly white 
flowers, which have only a few faint spots at the base 
of the upper segments. It is quite distinct in form, 
and a decided advance upon any other white Ehodo- 
dendron that has yet been sent out, and being 
perfectly hardy, is certain to become a favourite at 
once. Several plants were exhibited by Messrs. John 
"Vaterer & Sons, Bagshot, by whom, we believe, it 
was first sent out last season. 
Morello Cherries. 
Amidst all the rich profusion of bloom seen on certain 
fruit trees this year, none is more marked or more 
beautiful than that of the standard Morello Cherries. 
AVhen planters of new gardens are putting out flowering 
trees which produeehiothing useful, such as Laburnums, 
Thorns, Almonds, &c., why not add a few standard 
Morello Cherries 1 The trees never attain to a large 
size, are always drooping or pendulous, and wear a 
very pretty decorative aspect. I can from my sitting- 
room window see long rows of these trees, their heads 
hanging like ropes of snow, so wondronsly are they 
blooming, and rarely, indeed, are they otherwise at this 
time of the year. Then in the autumn they are little 
less beautiful when laden with their myriads of fruits, 
which are rich in colour, and most valuable either 
for tarts or bottling. Market growers find that Morello 
Cherries rank among their most profitable fruit trees, 
and in such case they merit wider culture. The birds 
do not trouble the fruits to any considerable degree. — 
A. D. 
Polyanthus, Queen Victoria. 
We have from time to time seen various forms of 
double Polyanthus, but the variety sent us by Mr. 
Wm. Owen, Hartford, near Nortliwich, Cheshire, under 
the above name, is certainly fine, and ought to occupy 
a place where these beautiful hardy border flowers are 
grown. The trasses are large, and borne on stout 
erect flower-stems, bearing numerous blooms of average 
size and beautifully double. They are crimson, and 
every segment of the corolla, including the super¬ 
numerary ones, is laced with a bright golden yellow. 
A little variation is exhibited by the flowers on the 
same truss, consisting sometimes of individual pips, 
with shorter segments in the centre, when moro 
prominence is given to the primary corolla ; but in all 
cases the flowers are double, and exceedingly beautiful 
in the mass. From the robust appearance of the truss 
sent we should imagine that the variety is as vigorous 
as the single forms, which add so much beauty to the 
outdoor garden at the present time. The supernumerary 
corollas are produced one within another—hose-in-hose 
fashion—and the flowers in consequence seem capable 
of enduring for a long time. Stamens are produced on 
the outer and also on some of the inner segments, while 
the original carpels forming the walls of the ovary are 
separated from one another, leaving the ovules or 
young seed naked. Some of them are stigmatic, 
others bearing anthers, while some of them are com¬ 
pletely petaloid and laced. The central axis itself is 
also metamorphosed, and elongated into two or four 
styles. From the monstrous condition of the flowers, 
we should presume that no seeds are ever produced 
from this variety. 
Michelia fuseata. 
The species of Michelia (not Mitchella, which is quite 
a different thing), are closely allied to the Magnolias 
but have smaller flowers. The species under notice is 
a native of China, and is generally known in gardens 
under the name of Magnolia, but is classified amongst 
the Michelias by Mr. W. B. Hemsley, who is compiling 
a flora of China and the neighbouring islands, and he 
gives several synonyms which have been applied to 
this plant by various authors. The little buds are 
most deliciously scented, and they always make their 
presence felt in a greenhouse where the plant is grown. 
They are yellowish externally and dull purple internally, 
expanding at various times during winter and spring, 
and for their fragrance alone the plant is a favourite in 
conservatories and greenhouses that are kept gay during 
the winter. The plant forms a dense evergreen bush, 
and grows from 2 ft. to 5 ft. in height according to its 
age and whether it is grown in a pot or planted out. 
We noted it in a border of the cool conservatory at 
Pendell Court. 
Rubus deliciosua. 
The foliage and young buds, more so than the flowers 
themselves of this Bramble, give off the odour for 
which this plant is very remarkable in spring and 
early summer, especially when the plant is moist with 
dew or rain. The odour, which resembles the smell of 
soap-suds more than anything else, may be detected at 
some distance from the plant when one passes on the 
lee-side of it. The specific name, however, is said 
to apply to the fruit, which is deliciously flavoured, 
and large in size. Like Eubus odoratus, the purple¬ 
flowering Easpberry, which is another North American 
species, that under notice does not produce fruit in this 
country as far as we have observed. It is perfectly 
hardy, however, either as a wall specimen or as a bush 
in the open ground, and deserves cultivation in every 
garden where hardy-flowering shrubs find a place. 
The flowers are large, pure white, and abundantly 
produced, giving the plant a snowy appearance, and 
are altogether different from those of other species 
generally, and more comparable to single white Eoses. 
The foliage, on the other hand, resembles that of a 
Currant more than a Bramble. A plant on a wall at 
Pendell Court, Bletchingley, is now very attractive. 
British Tobacco Culture. 
In the report of the competition for the prizes offered 
by the London Chamber of Commerce for British- 
grown Tobacco, in your issue for May 19 th, there is one 
point we would ask you to be good enough to allow us 
to explain. It reads as follows:—“None of the 
samples submitted were in a merchantable condition, 
so that it would appear that English growers have 
still a great deal to learn, especially as regards curing.” 
"We would state that Tobacco of the crop of 1887 could 
not possibly be in a merchantable condition on May 
1st, 1888. If it was intended to convey that the Tobacco 
should be in a merchantable state to go into the hands 
of the manufacturer or the broker from the producer, 
the competition, instead of taking place on May 1st, 
should have been delayed until September 1st, when 
the Tobacco would have passed through what is fami¬ 
liarly known in America as the “May sweat,” and 
would ultimately have reached the mature stage it is 
supposed to attain before going into the hands of the 
broker or manufacturer. This we feel sure you will 
recognise as an important point, and sufficiently inter¬ 
esting to justify our asking you to insert this letter for 
the benefit of your readers .—James Carter <L- Co., 237 
and 238, High Holborn, Hay 23 rd. 
