March 7, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
431 
invariably follows. Hepatieas are also admirably 
adapted for pot culture, and one not infrequently 
observes a few receiving attention on window sills, or 
assisting to maintain a floral display in tbe con¬ 
servatory at this season, when other flowers are scarce. 
— J. Peebles, Holly-dene, Bromley. 
Propagating Dielytra spectabilis. 
I CAN assure “D.”(p. 407) that root cuttings of Dielytra 
spectabilis treated similar to Sea Kale, is an easy 
method of increasing the stock. When lifting home¬ 
grown plants or those bought in for forcing purposes, 
“D.” need have no hesitation in pruning off stray 
roots to make the plants fit convenient sized pots, and 
if he will then dibble the prunings into deep pans, 
boxes, or whatever is most convenient, and place them 
in continual warmth till established, they will grow 
into capital plants for transplanting outside into well- 
prepared soil. While writing this I have in my mind’s 
eye the huge specimens that used to grow in the old- 
fashioned flower gardens of thirty years ago. They 
were a sight worth seeing for the time and season, but 
such specimens I do not now see.— S. TV., Yorks. 
The Silver Wattle. 
The beauty of Acacia dealbata can only bo seen to 
advantage when a tree is planted out and allowed to 
assume somewhat of its natural habit. In Australia 
and Tasmania, where it is indigenous, it forms a tree 
10 ft. to 20 ft. in height, and we have seen it in 
Guernsey of that height, and as much in the spread of 
the branches. Here, however, it must have the 
protection of a greenhouse, and be planted out with 
sufficient room to develop, before we can realise the 
amount of bloom it is capable of producing. The 
flowers are of a bright yellow, and are borne in panicles 
terminating the shoots, as well as on shorter branches 
arising from the axils of the leaves. The leaves are 
bipinnate, with numerous pinnre and very numerous 
leaflets, the whole of which have a silvery or glaucous 
appearance, in part owing to the pubescence covering 
them. At present the English markets are supplied 
with large quantities of the flowering sprays, which 
retain their freshness for a wonderful length of time. 
Even the leaves, although dry and dead, do not present 
the appearance of being withered.' 
Creeping Winter-green. 
Sucn is one of the popular names applied to Gaultheria 
procumbens, the stems of which, however, are erect, 
though dwarf, and hardly merit the appellations of 
creeping or procumbent. Another name to this 
attractive little evergreen is Canada Tea, from the use 
made of its leaves in that country. As an ornamental 
subject in this country it recommends itself for edging 
beds of low shrubs, or for cool and peat positions on 
rockwork. It is by no means fastidious, however, and 
provided the roots are placed in a cool medium it will 
flourish in a variety of soils, and is perfectly hardy, 
seeing that it is a North American plant. A profusion 
of berries are produced amongst the upper leaves during 
summer, and these become red as they ripen in autumn, 
and hang on the plants all winter. The berries are 
edible, but curiously enough they do not seem to have 
been molested by the birds, notwithstanding the 
severity of the weather during December and January 
last. This may have resulted from the plants being 
low and hidden by snow, or partly by the fallen leaves 
of trees. The plant may be readily increased by 
division. 
Skimmia Fortunei. 
The most popular and most widely cultivated of all the 
Skimmias is that under notice; but it is almost 
"universally known as S. japonica, whereas that really 
ought to be applied to the plant known as S. oblata. 
The free-fruiting nature of S. Eortunei is doubtless the 
cause of its popularity, and what is even of more 
importance, the birds do not seem to molest the berries 
judging from a large bed of plants heavily laden with 
fruit at Kew. The small evergreen leaves do not hide 
the fruit so much as in the case of the Aucuba, and 
considering that the plants grow very slowly, they 
might be employed for filling small beds in prominent 
places during winter. They might also be lifted, 
placed in pots, and used for decorative purposes in 
various ways. A compost of peat and loam will keep 
the roots cool, and otherwise meet all the requirements. 
Both S. Fortunei and S. japonica prove perfectly 
hardy even in northern localities in this country, and 
are planted by themselves or around the margins of 
Rhododendrons or other subjects of the so-called 
American garden. 
Choice Grapes. 
Much valuable information upon this subject is con¬ 
tained in the R. H. S.’s Journal, now in course of 
issue. Mr. R. D. Blackmore’s paper on the enemies of 
the Vine gives special value to Bart IV., as those who 
were not so fortunate as to hear it read will be eager to 
share in what was felt to be au intellectual treat. The 
planting of Vines soon after growth commences is 
found to be greatly preferable to turning them out of 
their pots in the winter months. The roots take 
kindly in the spring to the fresh warm soil, which 
should be free from gross manure, and should be made 
porous by a free admixture of old mortar rubbish 
broken small and charred refuse. The Diamant Traube 
Grape, for which a First Class Certificate was 
unanimously voted by the Fruit Committee of the 
R. H. S., is issued for the first time this spring.— 
TV. JR., Streatham Hill, S. TV. 
Aquilegia Stuartii. 
This is a hybrid of considerable merit, raised by Dr. 
Stuart. The flowers are large and widely expanded, 
and of an exquisite shad* of coerulean blue, with a 
conspicuous white cup showing yellow anthers. Of late 
years a good many'hybrids have been obtained from A. 
ccerulea of this character, the flowers varying in the 
hue of blue, as well as in the size of the perianth, and 
all with the white cup. They are not only very showy 
when in flower, but they are generally of robust growth, 
and perfectly hardy. That they are very beautiful there 
can be no doubt—pity ’tis so much beauty is not of a 
more lasting character.— B. D. 
Rose-coloured Aubrietias. 
Some years ago Mr. William Ingram, of Belvoir 
Castle, Grantham, was very successful in raising a 
number of pink varieties of the Aubrietia, for use in 
his unrivalled spring garden at Belvoir, and I think 
it not unlikely that Mr. Ingram sent one or two of his 
best varieties to Mr. Max Leichtlin, of Baden Baden, 
and thus became the originator of A. Leichtlini, a 
beautiful variety with bright carmine flowers, of free 
compact habit, and very striking because of its re¬ 
markable distinctness of character. A. rosea is another 
bright, rosy-coloured form from the same source, 
lacking the depth of colour of the preceding, but like 
it, vigorous in growth and very free. These Aubrietias, 
in combination with such deep-coloured varieties as 
A. violacea, A. grseca, and others, are admirably 
adapted for rockwork, so that they can hang down over 
it and form shields of dense green, covered with flowers 
in early spring. Mr. Samuel Barlow grows the 
perennial Candytufts in this way on his rock walls at 
Stakehill, and as they take an oval shape he terms 
them his floral tortoises, which they greatly resemble. 
Aubrietias growing close to the ground have suffered 
severely during the winter, but there is a great amount 
of vitality about them, and already the naked and 
apparently dead stems are breaking forth into new 
life. To have Aubrietias in all their beauty they need 
to be raised above the ground level.— B. I). 
The Neapolitan Allium. 
It would sound rather harshly on the ears of lovers of 
cut flowers to speak of Allium neapolitanum either as 
the Neapolitan Onion or Neapolitan Garlic. The plant 
does, however, belong to the same genus, and possesses 
to some extent the same objectionable odour when 
bruised. The species is, however, no doubt the best 
of the white-flowered kinds, and produces a large 
quantity of bloom for cut-flower purposes ; it is also 
extensively used for forcing purposes, and may now 
be seen in quantity in the florists’ windows.' Although 
introduced in 1823 from South Europe, it does not 
seem to have become popular till within recent years. 
A. subhirsutum comes very near it, but has smaller 
flowers. Those of the former are star-like, pure white, 
and produced very freely in open umbels, and are 
therefore very suitable for mixing amongst cut flowers 
for the sake of variety. 
Manuring Vines with Copper. 
Investigations have lately been made on the absorption 
of soluble metallic salts by the rootlets of various plants, 
and the distribution of the metal in the plant. The 
Yine has thus been manured with sulphate of copper, 
mixed with lime, by MM. Millardet & Gayou. They 
find that most of the copper is deposited in the leaf— 
that merely a doubtful trace can be found in the juice 
of the Grape. Other experiments with other salts and 
other plants indicate that the chlorophyll of the leaves 
is the most addicted to picking up the foreign matter. 
Tea leaves, for instance, contain much iron, doubtless 
due to the ochreous soil on which they best grow. The 
analytical myth concerning the adulteration of Tea with 
iron filings is thus explained. When roasted the iron 
salt in the leaves is reduced to magnetic oxide, and the 
leaves are therefore attracted by a magnet .—Science 
Gossip. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Cattleyas of thp gigas section are now very impatient 
to be on the move, and should therefore be indulged 
with the lightest place at command, in order to secure 
the best results. My impression is that they want a 
very sunny position to ripen them thoroughly in the 
autumn, and scarcely any water during the winter. 
They will then be pretty sure to sheath in the spring 
without any further trouble, though I readily admit 
there are some plants which seem determined not to 
flower under any conditions. On the other hand, we 
have two plants which never fail to flower, though 
only of medium size, and growing in much darker and 
under less favourable conditions. Water should not be 
given copiously until the growths are well advanced, 
sufficient to prevent the bulbs and roots from shrivelling 
being all that is necessary. Cattleya Gaskelliana and 
its white form are likewise commencing to grow, and 
any of the plants which want a larger pot should now 
be re-potted, for this species is a very useful one, 
flowering as it does after the bulk of the others are over, 
and being moreover a good plant, and not particular 
about having the lightest positions. 
Hopes were entertained in the autumn that the un¬ 
usually bright weather we enjoyed during September 
and October would prove an important advantage to 
spring-flowering Cattleyas which had then just finished 
their season’s growth, and there seems every reason to 
believe that the plants were really much benefited, for 
according to what I have seen and heard, the flowers 
of Cattleya Trianse are coming finer in size and colour 
than they were last spring, and probably the plants 
of C. Mendelii, C. Mossiie, &c., will also be benefited 
in a corresponding degree. 
Those who have seen a large mass of Cceffigyne 
cristata alba in full bloom will be ready to admit that 
for absolute purity it has no rival, and the rapidity 
with which plants grow points to the fact that it will 
be largely used in years to come where choice white 
flowers are indispensable. When the flowers are over, 
the old spikes should only just be cut down to below 
the bottom flower seat, for by leaving the old flower 
spikes a good length we have got growths from them 
frequently, as well as from the base of the bulbs. 
Now that we are fairly into March, and the weather 
at present is much more pleasant, the houses can be 
more freely ventilated, though this should always be 
done with care. Where the houses are span-roofed, with 
top and bottom ventilators on each side, matters are 
much simplified, for it is then possible to admit air 
even in windy weather from the side opposite to that 
from which the wind blows. When the external air is 
not below 40°, it is as well to keep a chinl^of top as 
well as bottom air on the Odontoglossum house all 
night ; but the many sudden changes from Itiild to very 
severe weather we have experienced during the past 
year tends to make us cautious not to run risks at this 
season by leaving the lights too far open at night. 
Odontoglossums should be well supplied with water at 
the roots now that they have flower spikes to support 
and young bulbs to finish up, and if they are watered 
overhead with a fine rose water can or syringe every 
morning as soon as the temperature rises to 55° they 
will be much benefited, and the foliage will have time 
to dry again before night. All the houses will need 
damping down morning and evening now, and the 
temperature of each house should be as follows :—East 
Indian, 65° at night to 75° at noon ; Cattleya, 60° at 
night to 70° at day ; cool or Odontoglossum, 50° at 
night to 60° at day .— TV. P. 
L^elia harpophylla aurea. 
Hitherto we have been accustomed to look upon this 
Orchid as one not given to variation, but presenting 
sepals and petals of an uniform shade of cinnabar-red 
or orange-vermilion as it has been variously described. 
The lip also was of the same colour, saving the crisped 
sides of the terminal lobe, which was white. A distinct 
variety is, however, now to be seen in the collection of 
Mr. P. McArthur, at the London Nursery, 4, Maida 
Yale. The sepals and petals are of a beautiful golden 
apricot colour, clear and uniform throughout. The lir> 
is of the same hue, with the exception of the terminal 
