478 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 28, 1891. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
SEASONABLE WORK in the CARDEN. 
Crotons.—Cuttings that were inserted in the early 
part of the year should now have filled their pots, and 
be ready for a shift into 60’s. If strong shoots were 
used in the first place, they will soon require another 
shift, and then make useful decorative plants. 
Epiphyllum truncatum.- Now that this and 
its various varieties have done flowering, they should 
he placed in a stove or warm pit to make fresh growth. 
Should increase of the stock be wanted, it may be done 
by means of cuttings, training up the leading stem as a 
stock ; or it may be grafted on the Pereskia stock, as 
is now generally practised. By this means the plant 
may be made to assume the form of a standard, the stem 
of which, however, will require staking as soon as the 
head gets top-heavy. 
Bougainvilleas and Allamandas.—To insure 
the shoots all flowering about any given time, they 
must all be stopped about twelve weeks before that 
date. They then start equally, and ultimately come 
into bloom together. The more genial weather enables 
growth to proceed rapidly, and it will therefore be 
necessary to ensure as full exposure to light as possible, 
particularly in the case of plants grown in pots. 
Asparagus plumosus nanus.—Young plants 
of this will now be growing rapidly ; those plants 
therefore which require a shift should be seen to. It 
will be well, however, not to give larger pots than may 
soon be occupied by the roots, otherwise the plants will 
be encouraged to throw up long stems of a climbing 
nature, which for pot culture are not generally required. 
Iiiliums.—All Liliums should be kept near the 
glass to prevent the stems from getting drawn and 
weakly. After the latter have attained a certain height 
the pots containing them may be top-dressed, which 
will strengthen them considerably by giving the roots 
emitted from the lower parts something to leed upon. 
Tritonias.—Under this title may be included 
Crocosmia aurea, formerly spoken of as Tritonia, and 
also the Montbretias, which are now included under 
Tritonia by botanists. Of Crocosmia aurea there are 
now man}' beautiful forms in cultivation, and they, 
together with Tritonia Pottsii, T. crocata, T. crocosmi- 
flora and others of that genus t constitute a very 
beautiful class of plants that ought to receive more 
attention than they do for indoor decoration in this 
country. They are beautiful alike both in flower and 
foliage. As the latter makes its appearance above the 
soil, stand the pots in a light position near the glass in 
a cold pit or frame, to prevent the leaves from getting 
drawn and weakly. Much heat is inimical to them. 
Petunias.—Sow seeds in heat if this has not 
already been done. Propagate old and choice kinds 
from cuttings; they soon form roots provided the 
cuttings are inserted in pots and stood upon a hot-bed, 
or plunged in a propagating frame, or even inserted 
directly in a hot-bed used for propagating purposes. 
Pot them off singly as soon as rooted, and pinch out 
the tops as soon as the plants are established in the 
fresh soil, in order to make them bushy. 
Fuchsias.-—Cuttings if inserted some time ago will 
now be ready to pot off singly. If a sufficient stock 
has not been obtained, cuttings may yet be inserted, 
and the plants will come into bloom about August or 
September. 
Early Vinery. — The berries are now rapidly 
swelling in the first house, and should be encouraged 
by keeping the evaporating pans well filled with liquid 
manure, with an occasional dose of guano. Keep the 
night temperature about 68°, raising it early in the 
day to about 80°, giving air and increasing it as the 
temperature rises. Close early and damp down 
thoroughly. 
Melons.—Where the fruits of the earliest crop are 
swelling up, close the house early at a temperature of 
85° or 90°, and allow it to run up to 95°, which, with 
plenty of moisture, will give an impetus to growth. 
Support the fruits by means of loops of matting, which 
are more serviceable than slates or boards, because this 
method allows a free play of air and light all round the 
fruit. 
Fotatos.—Earth up early Potatos in frames ; give 
abundance of ventilation on fine days, but on no account 
pull the sashes right off. A better plan is to tilt up 
the sashes all along the leeward side, so as to prevent 
cold winds from blowing directly on the plants. Com¬ 
plete the planting of early and mid-season Potatos in 
the open ground as quickly as possible. 
Vegetable Seed Sowing.—Make sowings of 
Peas of the mid-season kinds about every ten or fourteen 
days, according to the quantity required. Sow Turnip- 
rooted Beet for an early crop, also some of the 
Short Horn Carrots. Parsley should also be sown on 
some warm sheltered border, or at the foot of a wall to 
furnish a supply in winter. Broad Beans should be 
sown once a fortnight, according to the quantity and 
succession required. The late kinds of Cauliflower and 
early varieties of Broccoli may now be sown in beds in 
a warm sunny aspect, not forgetting Veitch’s Autumn 
Giant Cauliflower. Turnips may also be sown for early 
work if this has not been done previously. 
-~>X<-- 
SPRING FLOWERS AT 
HOLLOWAY. 
Lovers of the tender flowers of spring will find the 
show houses in Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son’s nursery 
at Upper Holloway specially gay and interesting just 
now, and well worthy of a visit. A houseful of 
Hyacinths, Tulips, and Daffodils provides a rich mass 
of colour, if nothing absolutely new in the way of 
novelty. The Hyacinths occupy one entire side, and 
are as. fine as any we have seen this season, which is 
perhaps not saying much, as all are below the usual 
standard of excellence. The Tulips on the other hand 
are as good as ever. The Clivia house is at its best, 
giving a grand display of large umbels of gay orange- 
yellow blossoms. Lindenii, Prince of Orange, very 
fine ; Marie Reimers and Yan Houttei still seem to be 
the pick of the hunch. The Amaryllis house will he a 
special feature a little later on. In the meantime a 
good sprinkling of the leading varieties are in bloom, 
and the number of scapes showing proclaim the wealth 
of fine things to come. A good strain of Cyclamen, 
Lily of the Valley, Lilacs, Charles X., and Alba 
virginalis, and a fine lot of that grand double white 
Indiau Azalea, Deutsche Perle, all help to make a 
brilliant show. 
In the cool Orchid houses we found some very 
beautiful forms of Odontoglossum R.uckerianum ; first- 
rate 0. crispum, 0. Andersonianum superbum, a 
specially fine variety ; good types of 0. triumphans, 
&c. In the warmer divisions, a little gem is found in 
the hybrid Dendrohium chrysodiscus, exceedingly 
pretty, and near by are two fine plants throwing up 
strong spikes of Epidendruin bicornutum, one of the 
prettiest of Orchids, but not seen in bloom every day. 
Angracum Sanderianum with its pendulous spike of 
white blossoms is another little gem that demands a 
passing note. 
Among the greenhouse Rhododendrons there is not 
much in bloom just now, hut a nice plant of E. 
Williamsii, with its medium-sized, compact trusses of 
white flowers faintly spotted with lemon on the upper 
segments, is specially attractive. This is a hybrid 
between R. arboreum and Azalea sinensis, and well 
worthy of extended cultivation. 
-^ 5 *!=- 
SAXIFRAGA OPPOSITIFOLIA. 
This is quite a different plant to Saxifraga Burser- 
iana. The specific name implies the manner in 
which the leaves are disposed along its creeping or trail¬ 
ing stem. The flowers too are sessile, and sit, as it 
were, in the axils of the tiny leaves along the short 
shoots, which are annually produced. The colour also 
of the attractive organs is unique in this class of plants, 
viz., bright purple, and campanulate in shape ; hence 
it forms an interesting and distinctive feature. This 
species, like the genus generally, is easy of reproduction, 
and the smallest particle will endeavour to fulfil the 
functions for which it was called into existence. 
There is a white-flowered variety as well, but it 
differs not from the type except in colour, which 
difference in this case is quite of minor importance, as 
we have already too many whites in this extensive and 
widely spread family. It is a native of Britain, but is 
well worth the little care desirable to induce it to 
exhibit its warm and brilliant flowers in the greatest 
perfection. Both these Saxifrages are of the simplest 
culture, and should find a place in every amateur’s cold 
frame, if only for the sake of the enlivening effect 
produced upon the other occupants. To those who love 
flowers, like Lord Ronald and the Lady Clare, for 
their “ own true worth,” uo argument is necessary, but 
it may be persisted in favour of the possession of these, 
that a minimum of labour only is involved. This and 
many other good things may now be seen in the Alpine 
House, Kew.— C. B. G., Acton, IF. 
Hardening §[iscellany. 
--5-- 
Seedling Freesias. 
A boxfhl of sprays of seedling Freesias has reached us 
from Mr. 'VV. Driver, The Gardens, Longfords, Minchin- 
hampton. The beauty, and no less the strong hut 
delicious odour of the flowers, give a recommendation 
which few spring flowers possess. Mr. Driver considers 
that they are better than they were last year, and 
whether this is the case or not, they certainly compare 
very favourably with the samples to he seen in the 
market. In colour the flowers vary from pure white 
to a clear chrome-yellow, with an orange blotch at the 
base of the upper segment. Between the two extremes 
are various shades of colour, some having only a small 
yellow blotch from which a paler yellow band extends 
down to the base of the wide portion of the tube where 
the yellow is continuous round the tube. These colours 
or the blotch may exist when the flower first expands, 
but they often fade after a time, leaving the flower of a 
purer white. The first flowers to open on the scape, 
namely, the lowest ones, are the largest, and are more¬ 
over of good size, notwithstanding the fact of their 
being seedlings; and we believe that flowers on well- 
grown seedlings are larger than those produced by old 
tubers. „ 
Amaryllis, G. F. Wilson and Picturata. 
Hippeastrum is the botanically accepted name of all 
the species to which the popular name of Amaryllis is 
applied, with the exception of Amaryllis Belladonna, 
Sprekelia formosissima and S. Cybister. The garden 
variety, G. F. Wilson, i3 therefore a Hippeastrum, 
and has funnel-shaped, bright scarlet flowers, with 
darker longitudinal veins, and six white bands on the 
lower half. The plant exhibited bore two scapes from 
a bulb, with four flowers on a scape. The leaves were 
well developed. The flowers of Picturata were scarlet, 
irregularly striped with white on the lower half and 
having six median white bands extending along nearly 
the whole length of the segments. The flowers were 
also funnel-shaped, and were borne four on a scape. 
Both varieties were shown by Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, at the Crystal Palace on the 21st inst., anil 
received First Class Certificates. 
Galanthus Alleni. 
The leaves of this new Snowdrop are very broad, re¬ 
sembling those of Galanthus latifolius, hut they are of 
a different shade of green and also of a light glaucous 
hue. The outer segments of the perianth are oblong- 
elliptic ; the inner ones diverge upwards, and are 
slightly spreading at the edges, with a deep green 
blotch externally around the sinus, and a larger, paler 
one internally. The anthers are acuminate, but some¬ 
times blunt and apiculate. These differences are small, 
but upon their persistency will depend their value. In 
general appearance the flowers resemble those of the 
common Snowdrop, but the broad simply channelled 
and slightly glaucous leaves will distinguish it from its 
nearest allies, G. nivalis caucasicus and G. latifolius. 
Flowering specimens of it were shown by Mr. James 
Allen, at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, on the 10th iust. It is believed by cultivators 
of these hardy and beautiful flowers that G. Alleni 
will yet become popular on account of its strong and 
vigorous habit, as well as by the beauty of its foliage 
and flowers. «_ 
Trillium nivale. 
The general appearance of this species is that of a 
miniature T. grandiflorum. The three leaves are oval 
or ovate, and uark green, while the shortly stalked 
flowers are produced singly as in other cases, and have 
the three inner segments or petals oblong and pure 
white. The species was introduced from North 
America in 1S79, and requires the same cultural con¬ 
ditions as T. grandiflorum, namely, a well-drained 
peaty soil in a somewhat shaded position. These 
conditions could be secured on a rockery by filling 
some of the pockets with peat in a moist and shaded 
part of the rockwork. By making up a small bed of 
peat at the base or in some sheltered and cool nook, a 
collection of these American Wood Lilies or Indian 
Shamrocks might be grown, and would prove attractive 
as well as interesting. Those who have the convenience 
of a house, whether heated or not, would find the 
Trilliums of easy cultivation, and prove very attractive 
in spring, while the pots or pans containing them 
might be stood out-of-doors during summer when out 
of flower. It would of course save a deal of trouble in 
watering if the pots were plunged in some shady 
position during summer. 
