September 27, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
59 
ARDENING fllSCELLANY. 
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Dipladenia atropurpurea. 
The flowers of this striking species are similar in form 
to those of D. boliviensis, but altogether different 
in colour. The lamina is of a deep velvety maroon, 
and the tube white, stained with purple on the outer 
face, but internally it is orange, lined with a deeper 
shade, presenting a striking appearance, especially 
when light falls upon the outer surface and casts a 
radiance into the interior of the flower, making it 
appear as if the tube were fluted. The leaves are 
small, elliptic, and deep green. A flowering specimen 
of comparatively small size may be seen in the stove at 
Kew. 
Chirita Moonii. 
The flowers of this stove plant are notable amongst 
the Gesnerads—to which it belongs—for their great size 
and pleasing light purplish blue colour with a large 
yellow blotch down the centre of the lower side of the 
tube. They are borne singly or in pairs in the axils of 
the leaves, and droop in the manner of those of an 
Achimenes. The leaves are hoary and produced three 
or four together along the fleshy stems, which are 
generally about 18 ins. in length. It flowers during 
the summer and autumn months, dependent upon 
the time it is started into growth, and requires 
treatment similar to that accorded Gloxinias, which 
belong to the same family. It is flowering in the 
Begonia house at Kew. 
African Marigolds. 
Permit me to correct an error into which you have 
fallen in describing the bunch of fine African Marigold 
blooms exhibited from here at the Royal Aquarium on 
the 10th and 11th inst. You say “it is remarkable 
that no other shades of colour have been introduced 
into this Marigold than orange and lemon.” Now, 
that remark seems to be true of most strains, but ours 
has long been marked by its variety of yellow shades, 
which rise up by such gradations from the exceedingly 
pale lemon to deep orange, that some half-dozen in¬ 
termediate hues of yellow may be found. I am very 
glad to say that in this way the old arbitrary distinction 
between the orange and lemon hues has been abolished 
here, and our strain is the most varied to be found. 
Some day, perhaps, crimson and maroon shades may 
be introduced. In reference to size, permit me to say 
selection has very much to do with it. Here, where 
the cultivation is far from being good, and the soil 
being rather poor, the blooms come of greater size, 
chiefly from selection.— Alex. Dean. 
The Winter Cherry. 
The flowers of this plant, known as Physalis Alkekengi, 
are of no value from a decorative or horticultural point 
of view, the chief value of the plant residing in the 
orange colour of the calyx, which enlarges with the 
fruit, and colours as the latter ripens. The berry is 
red or scarlet, resembling a small Cherry, but it is 
completely enclosed and hidden by the calyx till the 
latter decays, or is torn off. It is edible, as in the case 
of the Cape Gooseberry (P. peruviana), which, by the 
way, is not a native of the Cape at all, but comes from 
South America. The plant, however, is not hardy in 
this country, whereas the Winter Cherry, coming from 
the Caucasus and China, is perfectly hardy in most, if 
not in all parts of Britain. The herbaceous border is 
the best place for it, as it may grow there and expand 
its inconspicuous white flowers till autumn, when the 
plant seldom fails to make itself noticeable after the 
bulk of herbaceous plants have mostly flowered and 
gone out of season. In the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at Chiswick, it is used as an 
edging to a flower bed, and the large inflated calyxes 
produced in great abundance are beginning to show up 
well. 
Gladiolus Colvillei Non Plus Ultra. 
The type itself is a garden hybrid raised between G. 
cardinalis and G. tristis. Since then many fine forms 
have been raised from it and have been given varietal 
names. One of the strongest characteristics of this 
race, from a horticultural point of view, is the presence 
of a blotch on each of the three lower segments of the 
flower. This blotch is generally white, surrounded by 
a purple band, giving the flower a very effective 
appearance. In the variety above named there are a 
number of shades in the flower. The upper segment is 
rose coloured, while the other segments are of a soft 
red at the base, deepening upwards and inclined to 
scarlet at the tips. The three lower segments have 
each a white central blotch, surrounded by a rose band, 
and that again with scarlet. When grown in pots the 
stems attain a height of 18 ins., and when in flower 
prove very suitable for mixing with other subjects in 
the greenhouse or conservatory. If lifted in winter so 
as to retard growth till well into spring, G. Colvillei 
and its varieties may be successfully grown and well 
flowered in the open air. So nearly hardy are they 
that they may be left out in mild winters without 
danger, but there is a liability of the foliage getting 
injured in spring when it starts early into growth. 
We noted it in one of the houses at High Elms, Farn- 
borough, Kent. 
Fruit Preserve of the Japanese Rose. 
I send you a little preserve made from the fruit of the 
Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa). In 1886 I suggested 
making hedges of this Rose, having tried one (see 
Gardening World, 1886, p. 171). Our hedge increases 
in beauty and efficiency every year. I am told that 
cattle will not eat Sweet Briar ; if that be so the 
Japanese Rose should be safe against them.— George 
F. Wilson, Heatherbank, Weybridge Heath. [A very 
pleasant, piquantly-flavoured preserve that many would 
be glad to know how to make. Will Mr. Wilson 
kindly tell us ?— Ed.] 
Pelargonium, Rollisson’s Unique. 
Many years ago this good old-fashioned subject attained 
considerable popularity ; but although still as good and 
as floriferous as ever, the length to which the stems 
attain probably tell against the plant in establishments 
where house-room is limited. A fine piece now flower¬ 
ing abundantly in the conservatory at High Elms, 
Farnborough, Kent, stands about 6 ft. high, and is only 
two years old. The leaves are lobed and hairy, amply 
clothing the long stems, and it is only necessary to 
train the short side shoots over the lower part of the 
plant to ensure the stems being hidden, and furnish a 
display of bloom from top to bottom of the plant. The 
flowers are large, and produced in good-sized trusses ; 
but, as might be expected, they do not exhibit 
that regularity characteristic of the best forms to be 
found amongst the various modern races of garden 
Pelargoniums. The three lower segments are rose 
coloured, while the upper two are red with two large 
crimson blotches, feathered at their base. Similar 
treatment given to show and fancy Pelargoniums will 
meet the requirements of Rollisson’s Unique ; but at 
the same time it may be stated that the latter keeps 
in bloom, producing a succession over a much greater 
length of time, and proves very acceptable at this 
season of the year. 
Carnations. 
Amongst the many attractive displays of florists’ 
flowers at Pilrig Nurseries, Edinburgh, I could not 
without astonishment look upon such lovely beds of 
Carnations. By the appearance of the plants one is apt 
to exclaim, “Oh, yes, the climate suits them,” and it is 
the case here, a3 the plants are extremely robust, and 
abundance of shoots are produced for layering purposes. 
I name a few which are really genuine varieties. Cale¬ 
donia is a purple self, which flowers with great 
freedom and is most effective when grown in a bed. 
Another is Maggie Lawie, pink, a grand flower and 
one of the best of recent introductions. William M. 
Welsh, scarlet, and a most telling sort, is sure to become 
a favourite on account of its good properties. Another 
novelty in the way of a Calceolaria is one named 
Lemon Gem. It is possessed of a sturdy habit of 
growth, and the flowers are of good size and are 
produced very freely.— Visitor. 
Fruit Crops at Erchless, Inverness-shire. 
The fruit crops, which are now nearly over for the 
season in this district, with the exception of Apples, 
Plums, and the later sorts of Pears, were, taken as a 
whole, a very fair average. The Strawberry crop, 
considering the cold and wet season and continued 
lack of sunshine that prevailed throughout July 
and August, was a pretty good one, but the yield 
was scarcely so prolific as in some former years. 
Gooseberries this season have been exceptionally 
good, in fact we seldom ever saw a better crop, the 
bushes being completely covered with berries, and 
many of the branches lying on the ground from the 
weight of their burden. Black, White, and Red 
Currants were all an average crop. Raspberries were 
abundant, and continued a long time under fruit this 
season. The first was ripe about July 29th, and the 
last crop was gathered on September 17th. Apples, 
which are now rapidly ripening, are no doubt greatly 
benefited by the brilliant, warm, and sunny weather 
experienced here at the present time and during 
the past fortnight, are almost up to last year’s crop in 
quantity, but in size scarcely so large. Pears and 
Plums are not so numerous this year, and wall fruit did 
not seem to do so well this season. The severe May 
frosts played sad havoc among the early blossom of 
wall fruit trees, which evidently accounts for the poor 
crop of Plums and Pears.— A. Mackintosh , Erchless 
Gardens, Eeauly f 1 9th September, 1890. 
Runner Beans. 
In a very interesting article in the Daily News of 
Saturday last on vegetable culture in Bedfordshire, the 
odd slip was made that the variety of runner Beans 
grown in the fields was not of the common sort nor the 
climbing runner, but was of a bushy nature of growth. 
Obviously the writer had no practical knowledge, or 
such a blunder would not have been committed. The 
Bedfordshire Runner Bean is identical with that grown 
so largely in gardens, as it is grown dwarf and bushy 
in the fields of Middlesex. The only difference is that 
whilst one is encouraged to climb, because supported 
by sticks, the other runs close to the ground, and if 
once or twice topped, necessarily assumes a bushy 
appearance. It is a pity non-practical writers attempt 
to discourse upon gardening in the ordinary press.— A.D. 
Schizanthus Grahami retusus albus. 
The flowers of the variety retusus are much larger than 
those of the type. It is generally considered a species 
in gardens, and cultivated very widely under the name 
of S. retusus. The flowers are of a deep or intense rose 
colour, with a large orange blotch on the upper lip. 
There seems to be more than one variety with white 
flowers in cultivation, as in one case the tips of the 
segments retain the original ground colour, while in 
another case the whole flower is white, with exception 
of the large orange blotch on the upper segment. The 
latter is now flowering in the conservatory at High 
Elms, Kent, in the garden of the Right Hon. Sir John 
Lubbock, Bart., M.P. About seven species of Schizan¬ 
thus are known, all natives of Chili, and being half- 
hardy annuals may readily be flowered in the open 
border during the summer months. Being amenable to 
pot culture they are often drawn upon to render the 
greenhouse or conservatory gay during the spring 
months, as well as during the summer and autumn if 
required. They are known as Butterfly or Fringe 
Flowers, from their peculiar shape, much-divided or 
fringed character and bright colours. 
Papaver umbrosum. 
Although this Caucasian plant has only been compa¬ 
ratively a few years in cultivation, it is already tending 
to vary in colour. The black blotches are giving place 
to white ones, as occurs in the Danebrog Poppy, a 
variety of P. somniferum. The typical form has deep 
red flowers, with a large black blotch at the base of 
each of the four petals. In other cases the black 
blotches are smaller, with a Chinese-white band round 
the outer margin. In a third form the petals are of 
the usual dark red hue, with a large silvery white 
blotch at the base. All these variations may be noted 
in a bed of this species in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, at Chiswick. 
Coreopsis tinctoria. 
Several quite distinct varieties of this are in cultiva¬ 
tion, generally under the name of Calliopsis bicolor. 
A number of them may be seen in the gardens of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, at Chiswick. The typical 
form has yellow flowers, with a velvety brown blotch 
at the base of the ray florets. Some of the varieties 
are hampered with a number of names that are not only 
unnecessary, but undesirable. For instance, a variety 
named Calliopsis nigra bicolor nana might simply have 
been called Coreopsis tinctoria nigra, to denote the 
dark velvety crimson of the ray florets. C. t. Burridgei 
Crimson has flowers similar to the last, but perhaps a 
trifle darker. The distinctions are not, however, 
sufficient to warrant the two separate names, considering 
how prone the seedlings of C. tinctoria are to variation. 
C. t. nana has small yellow heads, with a dark velvety 
brown zone around the disc. If true to name, the 
