220 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 6, 1890. 
Chinese Primroses from Longfords. 
A boxful of blooms showing great variety in colouring 
has been sent us by Mr. W. Driver, The Gardens, 
Longfords, Minehinhampton. A large percentage of 
the blooms measured a little over 2 ins., which testifies 
to the treatment they have received from Mr. Driver. 
The white varieties were particularly fine, some of them 
being nearly flat, while others were considerably 
undulated, owing to the number of overlapping lobes, 
although the primary segments did not exceed five or 
six. From white the colours ranged through various 
shades of blush, pink, deep salmon, mauve, rosy 
purple, deep purple, deep red or crimson. The mauve 
blooms were characterised by a white band round the 
greenish yellow eye, and a narrow white margin all 
round the segments, giving them a laced appearance. 
Rather striking in their way also were some rosy 
purple blooms, having a distinct crimson band round 
the yellow eye, which, in this case, was rather small. 
Some growers term this latter the Auricula-eyed strain. 
The collection, on the whole, gives the grower great 
credit. 
Apple, Beauty of Kent. 
In the southern counties of Britain more especially 
this Apple is notable for the brightness of the colour 
which it assumes. The fruit is of large size, widest at 
the base, and gradually narrowed upwards. The skin 
is of a bright yellow on the shaded side, more or less 
marked with patches of red, but on the exposed surface 
it is generally wholly of a deep red. It comes into use 
during October, and remains good till February. 
Contrary to the usual rule, this highly coloured variety 
is a culinary Apple, but for that purpose is highly 
esteemed on account of its richly juicy sub-acid 
character. The flesh is yellowish and tender when 
properly ripe. The tree is a good bearer in average 
seasons, but seems to do best when grown on the Crab, 
as it naturally attains a great size, and resents being 
repressed or retarded by being grown on the Paradise. 
The fruit scarcely attains the same size in the north as 
it does in the south, but the rich colouring gets fairly 
well developed. 
The Gardeners' Orphan Fund. 
Beyond my note to you respecting the calling of the 
special general meeting of this fund, at the Cannon 
Street Hotel, on the 9th, as exceedingly inconvenient, 
I have also written to the chairman of the Executive 
Committee of the fund, for the convenience of which 
you exhibit such tender regard. Of course, I expect no 
alteration to be made as a result, as committees stand 
by their work, even when they blunder. But I at once 
point out to you, in fairness to myself, that your own 
point against me, as proverb in your reply to my 
previous note, tells entirely in my favour. Out of the 
twenty-five persons constituting the Orphan Fund 
executive, sixteen are members of the committees of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, and will certainly be at 
the Drill Hall, Westminster, the latter part of the 9 th 
inst. ; one or two others are almost certain to be there, 
four others reside on the west side of London, and so 
far as the rest are concerned, it would be just as easy 
for them to get to Westminster as the City. So much 
for the convenience of the “ Hamlet ” of the piece.— X. 
Sweet-scented Border Flowers. 
Besides Roses, Pinks, Carnations, Mignonette, Laven¬ 
der, and the Southernwood, spoken of at p. 187, there 
are many others which claim our attention on account 
of their fragrance. I am delighted to be able to 
name some that I have met with during my travels, 
worthy additions to any collection, and which I trust 
will assist your correspondent in making his garden 
still more attractive, as well as acting as a stepping- 
stone to the study of a branch of floriculture apparently 
neglected , for I have not yet seen a list of sweet-scented 
flowers in a condensed form. Mine are arranged in 
their order of blooming for the year, so near as my 
memory goes, as follows : Viburnum tinus, Wallflowers, 
Chimonanthus fragrans, .Tasminum nudiflorum, Snow¬ 
drops, Primroses, Lily of the Valley, Akebia quinata, 
Forsythia viridissima, Ribes sanguines, Sweet Alyssum, 
Honeysuckles, Hyacinths, Scillas, Deutzias, Labur¬ 
nums, Psonies, Spiraeas, Calycanthus, Crataegus, 
Exocordia grandiflora, Syringas, Wistarias, Musk, 
Thyme, Cytissus, Jasminum officinale, Magnolias, 
Ligustrums, Sweet Peas, Aloysia citriodora, Nicotiana 
affinis, Pansy, Spartium junceum, Salvias, Myrtles, 
Coronilla glauca, Heliotropium=, Daturas, Clematis 
flammula, Chrysanthemums, and Violets, —IV. Napper, 
Chelsea. 
SOIL FOR RHODODENDRON 
BEDS. 
Some districts or localities are naturally well adapted 
for the cultivation of Rhododendrons, while on many 
estates positions may be found requiring but little or 
no artificial treatment of the soil to grow this class of 
plants to perfection. A low lying, rather moist and 
sheltered position is the most favourable, and a little 
shade also proves advantageous, but is not at all 
essential. They hate anything in the way of chalk 
and lime, nor must the soil be a stiff clay or clayey 
loam. The latter is not altogether unsuitable, 
however, provided it is not liable to get hard aud 
baked with the sun in summer. In such a case it will 
be found that after they have been planted for some 
years, if the bushes are dug up they will scarcely have 
made a root beyond the ball, the tender fibres being 
unable to penetrate the clay. 
It often happens that Rhododendrons are wanted in 
particular places, and it then becomes necessary to 
ameliorate it or replace it altogether with something 
different. When this is the case the most desirable 
material is peat, which is often difficult to procure in 
the district. Peat may be augmented with leaf-soil. 
If the natural staple is chalky, or consists of sand or 
gravel, it must be removed to a depth of 2^ ft. ; and 
in cases where the subsoil is a stiff clay, then means 
must be provided to carry away superfluous moisture. 
Where peat is scarce, a considerable quantity of friable 
loam may be mixed with it, and good results obtained ; 
leaf-soil, again, may advantageously be employed, and 
is usually to be had in plenty where the estate is fairly 
well wooded. All these ingredients should be well 
mixed together before filling the bed, and not thrown 
in alternate layers, the one above the other, as is 
sometimes practised. 
Nothwithstanding the suitability of peat, it has been 
proved over and over again that Rhododendrons can be 
grown to great perfection without it. There are few 
estates of any extent perhaps where there is not a pond 
or small lake. By running off the water in summer, 
and allowing the mud to get firm, any desired quantity 
of it may then be wheeled or carted out on the bank, 
and thrown up in a heap till it gets quite mellow. 
The mud in the vicinity of the inlet—that is, where the 
lake or pond is fed—is usually the most suitable, as 
it contains a considerable quantity of sand. This, 
together with leaves, fine particles of soil and other 
detritus brought down by the stream, constitute a soil 
very rich in plant food, and if allowed to lie in a heap 
for some months it may be used for filling up beds, in 
which Rhododendrons will not only grow satisfactorily, 
but even luxuriate and flower grandly. In districts 
where the lime in the soil is practically nil, the pond 
cleanings may be mellowed much sooner by the use of 
a little lime mixed with them ; and this will also help 
to destroy the seeds of weeds generally brought down 
in great quantity by the stream. Those who have not 
the convenience of a pond to fall back upon, may be 
able to get similar material in the form of scourings of 
weedy or muddy ditches, adding a little river sand if 
that should happen to be scanty. Lay it in a heap for 
six or twelve months if necessary, to get the material 
firm but friable. This being inexpensive, the natural 
soil of the beds should be taken out to the depth above 
mentioned, and filled in with the prepared material. 
Work of this nature may be carried on at any time 
during frosty weather, or at a period when work 
cannot conveniently be executed in the fruit or kitchen 
gardens. The necessary carting may be done in frosty 
weather, so as to avoid cutting up the walk? or grass. 
Planting is best done in spring, although it may be 
effected at almost any period of the year, provided the 
plants are lifted with good balls. If the plants are 
small, the beds had better be mulched with something 
to prevent the too rapid escape of moisture from the 
soil by exposure to the sun. In the neighbourhood of 
the mansion coco-nut fibre would be less unsightly 
than leaf-soil for mulrhing. 
-- 
AUTUMN AND WINTER- 
FLOWERING SALVIAS. 
Something like 450 species of Salvia have been 
described, and out of this number a selection of very 
ornamental subjects might be selected for the herbaceous 
border, for the greenhouse or conservatory, and a few 
might be grown in stove, including S. splendens and its 
garden forms. For winter work a large number might 
be grown in pots in the open air during summer, and 
transferred to a structure where the night temperature 
is kept up to 45" or 50°, preferably the latter figure. 
Under these conditions a succession of bloom might be 
kept up t lmost continuously during the winter 
and spring. In fact, a number of them seem to refuse 
to flower until the lengthening days of spring and the 
increased sunlight give them additional vigour. 
One of the early autumn-flowering species is S. azurea, 
with flowers of a varying shade of sky-blue, sometimes 
pale or almost white. The leaves are linear, and 
usually very narrow, particularly the upper one. The 
plant comes into bloom in August ; but when propa¬ 
gated annually from cuttings, and kept growing with 
moderate vigour, it does not flower till later, and then 
proves useful in the greenhouse when the summer 
occupants are getting over. The variety S. a. grandi- 
flora, better known in gardens as S. Pitched, has 
darker-coloured flowers, more densely arranged in 
whorls terminating the twiggy stems, and is therefore 
the more showy of the two. It keeps up a succession of 
bloom for many weeks, and in some cases is yet in 
bloom. One of the chief objections to this species is 
the height to which it grows—namely, 6 ft.; although 
in moderate-sized pots it is more often only 3 ft. or 4 ft. 
high, and can then be arranged in groups on the floor 
of the house. 
One of the most effective of the Salvias for indoor 
work is S. splendens and its varieties S. s. Bruantii 
and S. s. Ciayi. The leaves are ovate, smooth, shining, 
and dark green ; the bracts, calyx, and corolla are of a 
bright scarlet, and therefore very effective as a whole. 
As the stems only attain a height of 3 ft., the plant is 
more suitable for low structures than the last. The 
varieties are dwarfer, say from IS ins. to 24 ins., and 
the flowers are brighter coloured. It may be grown in 
rather a high temperature, but if removed to a much 
cooler one it must be done gradually, otherwise the 
flowers are liable to drop wholesale. Unless required 
very early in the year it should be grown on in a cool 
house, thereby keeping it in a sturdy condition, aided 
by proper exposure to light and judicious ventilation. 
The type is a native of Brazil, from whence it was 
introduced in 1822, while the varieties are seedlings of 
garden origin. Some gardeners prefer raising it from 
seeds annually. They flower during November and 
December. 
The Pineapple-scented Sage (S. rutilans) has scarlet 
flowers of a different shade from those of the above, and 
they are much smaller and narrowly tubular, but the 
number produced compensates for this deficiency. The 
leaves are also agreeably fragrant, as the name implies, 
and for that reason the plants are worthy of admission 
into collections of useful and showy conservatory subjects. 
It made its appearance in gardens in 1S73, but from 
whence it came does not seem to be known. When 
grown in pots it ranges from 1J to 3 ft. high, branches 
freely, and flowers at the end of every shoot. It has 
been flowering now for some time, and will continue for 
several weeks. 
S. involucratais so nearly hardy that it can be grown 
and flowered against a wall in the open air. The 
flowers are rose-coloured, including the calj'x sometimes, 
and before expansion they are aggregated in a close head¬ 
like spike covered by bracts, hence the specific name. 
It comes into flower early in autumn, but plants raised 
from cuttings flower later and are more acceptable. 
The variety S. i. Bethellii is more popular for indoor 
cultivation, because the plant is dwarfer and has bright 
rosy crimson flowers, the tube of which is considerably 
inflated. It is in bloom now, and will continue so for 
some time. The flowers while yet in bud are sur¬ 
rounded by large coloured bracts, rendering the plant 
ornamental even in that condition. The stems 
generally grow about 2 ft. high, and the plant, 
although bold in appearance, can be accommodated in 
a greenhouse of moderate dimensions. By way of 
variation to the above, S. ianthina maybe grown; it 
is better known under the name of S. Hoveyi. The 
plant grows about 2 ft. high, has ovate-cordate, 
wrinkled and bold-looking foliage. The flowers are of 
an intense violet-purple, appearing almost black when 
viewed from a distance. The flowers, although so very 
distinct, are only of moderate size, and very liable to 
drop under unfavourable conditions, such as the 
prevalence of fog. 
Under similar treatment to the above, G. boliviana 
flowers later, and comes into bloom after the new 
year wjien flowers of that description are getting very 
scarce. The stems "’are vigorous, and generally 
grow about 3 ft. high, producing long racemes of 
bright scarlet flowers in terminal racemes of pseudo¬ 
whorls. It is therefore well worthy of cultivation to 
form a succession to those already mentioned. The 
