August 4, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
777 
encounter a much more serious and damaging enemy to 
vegetation, viz., a combination of frost and wet, which 
often encased the soft tropical foliage in a shell of ice. 
This I noted was the cause of the destruction of the 
above-mentioned plants, and being in pots, the frost 
would, undoubtedly, have more direct effect upon the 
vital part. This plant was not in any way protected 
from the frost, but, on the contrary, was exposed to the 
east and North Sea blast, in a vase standing about 4 ft. 
above the ground. Yet it is to this fact that I attribute 
its survival. The soil was generally dry and well 
drained, a circumstance which would greatly lessen the 
danger of frost penetrating with deadly effect to the 
vitals of the plant. The young leaves began, despite 
the unpropitious spring weather, to shoot up about the 
middle of May, and when 
I removed the plant a few 
weeks later, the vase was 
quite full of new roots. The 
whole appearance indicated 
the best of health, save one 
or two damped spots on two 
of the leaves. This may 
not be an uncommon occur¬ 
rence in some parts of the 
kingdom, but as far as I 
can answer, it is seldom seen 
in most parts of Scotland. 
It may not be uninterest¬ 
ing to say a few words on the 
natural qualities this plant 
possesses. The juice, when 
applied to the skin, causes a 
stinging and rather painful 
sensation. I remember once 
being much alarmed by 
its effects on two young 
children. The youngsters 
happened to come into the 
greenhouse where some 
leaves were being cut from 
a large plant and lying on 
the floor : these they picked 
up and carried away. In a 
short time afterwards they 
were running about and 
screaming, and frantic with 
pain. We could learn 
nothing from them of what 
was the cause of the uproar 
further than that they were 
cutting the succulent leaves 
into small pieces for their 
amusement. I noticed one 
of them, a little girl, rub¬ 
bing her legs with terrible 
earnestness, which were, on 
examination, much inflamed. 
The other, a boy, had ap¬ 
parently got the irritating 
juice on his face and in his 
eyes, causing much agony. 
Cold water and soap were 
taken and the skin thoroughly 
washed, and shortly after¬ 
wards they were eased ; but 
a number of irregular vesicles 
broke out on the affected 
places, which remained, if 
I recollect aright, two or 
three days. I several times 
tried the juice on my own 
skin, with similar results. 
It is doubtful what would 
have been the consequence had these children eaten 
of this, when it acts so irritantly on the skin. 
Of course the acridity may not be more deadly than 
that of Sinapis, and, therefore, quite harmless. I 
referred to all the books within my reach then and since 
for information as to whether it was poisonous or not, 
but no statement on the matter was given, except that, 
from some or all of the species, an intoxicating liquor 
is made, and afterwards distilled into brandy. It is 
said that sometimes a prick from the spines causes 
much pain and trouble. Of course, as will be readily 
seen, this might occur, independently of any venom 
being in the prick itself, for, as a rule, it is not the 
article that pricks or cuts the skin that causes blood- 
poisoning, but the matter that generally is attached to 
itself or the skin. Perhaps some of your many readers 
may know something of the nature of the juice of this 
plant. Any information about it will be very accept¬ 
able and gratefully received.— D. Chisholm , Edinburgh. 
ROMAN HYACINTHS. 
The annual consignments of bulbs of this now popular 
class of flowers are rapidly coming to hand, reminding 
cultivators that no time should now be lost in securing 
their requirements for the season, not merely in order 
to secure the best, but that the first batch may be 
potted without delay. The Roman Hyacinth of 
commerce is a variety of the common garden Hyacinth, 
namely, Hyacinthus orientals albulus, with much 
smaller bulbs and even more slender stems, bearing 
far fewer flowers than the large kinds, which are much 
later coming into flower. The earliness and purity of 
the white blooms, together with their loose arrangement 
on the stem, have won for them much public favour as cut 
flowers. The large and late varieties are too massive 
Cactus Dahlia, Prince Albert Victor. 
and heavy for such a purpose. The Roman Hyacinths 
may also be grown as pot specimens, and prove very 
acceptable at a season when comparatively few plants 
are in flower, especially those that can be grown with 
little heat. Whether in the window, greenhouse, or 
conservatory, their delicate fragrance always recommends 
them, whereas a quantity of the large-flowering kinds 
in the atmosphere of a small room almost becomes 
unbearable on account of their powerful odour. 
Before us, as we write, are some bulbs showing to 
what perfection—or rather what improvements—have 
been effected on the bulbs by high-class cultivation. 
Like many other industries, that of systematically 
cultivating Roman Hyacinth bulbs for sale, has grown 
from a very small beginning to enormous dimensions, 
and thousands of gardeners and amateurs in the British 
Islands now look forward for their yearly consign¬ 
ment. The bulbs of this variety of the Oriental 
Hyacinth are. naturally small, and remain so under 
unfavourable conditions, such as thin gravelly soil and 
poor unmanured land. A sample of bulbs, such as 
used to come to this country, before the demand for 
them stimulated to greater exertions in their cultiva¬ 
tion, are not much larger than pigeons’ eggs, and are 
nearly round. They had been grown on gravelly soil, 
without any attention in the matter of manuring, and 
form clean, solid specimens ; but they can neither be 
expected to produce large flowers nor many of them. 
Another sample shows a bulb fully twice the size and 
rather flattened. One of them, to the best of our judg¬ 
ment, weighs more than two of the smaller sample. 
The large ones have been subjected to high-class 
cultivation, with good tilth of the soil, and the appli¬ 
cation of manure. It is not desirable to obtain flower 
spikes like those of the 
massive late-flowering kinds, 
but it is obvious to any 
observant cultivator that a 
more meritorious head of 
bloom can be obtained from 
such than from small starved 
bulbs. 
Many growers insert their 
bulbs in boxes, and bring 
them to the point of flower¬ 
ing before potting them up ; 
and by this means more 
certain results can be ob¬ 
tained than trusting to 
chance by potting up the 
bulbs at once, and running 
the risk of an unequal de¬ 
velopment of the flower- 
spikes, as they are always 
inserted three, four or five 
together in one pot. When 
brought on to the point of 
expansion before the oper¬ 
ation is performed the flowers 
do not suffer any diminution 
in size. Such bulbs are, 
however, useless for forcing 
another season, because their 
roots have been damaged 
and the growth of the bulb 
checked, as well as the 
storage of reserve matter, 
which is more important. 
Large bulbs, such as those 
we mention, would be more 
useful for pot work, as more 
dependence could be placed 
upon them for a given 
result. Of course, for the 
mere purpose of obtaining cut 
flowers, a greater quantity 
can be grown in the same 
space by the use of boxes 
alone. 
For pot work, a good com¬ 
post consisting of mellow 
but fibrous loam should be 
used, in conjunction with 
the same quantity of well- 
rotted stable manure and a 
liberal admixture of clean, 
sharp river sand. Roman 
Hyacinths, if potted up at 
once, may be had in flower 
by November. Drain the 
pots well, and insert three 
large bulbs in each. When 
the operation is completed 
give them a watering, and stand them out of doors in 
a sheltered place, covering with a few inches of coco¬ 
nut fibre. It is usual to employ ashes, but for the 
first batch the fibre is better, as it admits air more 
freely, and the bulbs are encouraged to make growth. 
As soon as the pots are well filled with roots remove 
them indoors to a stove, forcing-pit or greenhouse, 
according to the time they are required in bloom. As 
they naturally start early, very little fire-heat is 
necessary to urge them into growth. Encourage them 
by syringing on fine days, so as to maintain a genial 
and growing atmosphere. 
What is a Plumbugger 1— One of my lady cus¬ 
tomers on seeing a dark crimson Geranium with white 
eye, exclaimed: “Oh how pretty! It looks like a 
plumbugger.” Can anyone tell us what a “plum- 
bugger” is? We have had orders for “high Geraniums ” 
(Hydrangeas), codys (Coleus), and prussias (Fuchsias), 
but we still grope in the dark as to the identity of the 
“ plumbugger .”—Correspondent of American Florist. 
