April 4, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
495 
reared the gigantic superstructure of horticultural 
truths from which we take our inspiration—we have 
ornamented them, we certainly have not improved upon 
them. They v/ent to nature for their premises, and 
though their experience was not always encouraging, 
their conclusions were invariably sound. 
If a gardener thinks at all on his work, the spirit of 
inquiry, the true precursor of knowledge, must be 
awakened. He observes a plant grow, flower, seed, 
then decay and die. How often does he consider this 
but as only the great law which applies to all things ? 
He notes the effects because they are so vivid that they 
can scarce escape his attention, but the law and causes 
that bring these conditions about he too seldom wishes 
to inquire into. "We should never feel satisfied with the 
thought of being keen observers alone, it is but half 
the solution of the secret of success. 
Geology explains the formation and general character 
of soils, a very essential factor in choosing a position 
for a new garden. Chemistry explains the conditions 
of plant life, the constituents of soil and their relative 
values to plant life, &c., all of which must be admitted 
is extremely advantageous to the man whose life is 
devoted to the cultivation of plants. Geography is an 
essential aid in enlightening the gardener on the dis¬ 
tribution of plants and the effects of temperature. I 
hold that no gardener is master of his business if he 
cannot give a geographical history of every plant in his 
possession. Botany, one of the most important aids to 
the gardener, explains the structure of plants, the con¬ 
formation of parts and their functions ; how to discern 
disease and cure it, &c. Natural Philosophy, the 
branch mechanics, is a necessary aid with reference to 
glass structures, heat, friction, &c. 
The knowledge of part or all of these it will be obvious 
adds considerably to the value of a gardener from a 
nobleman’s point of view ; and moreover it is the 
writer’s conviction that a man in possession of such 
knowledge, with little or no experience, is worth a 
colony of men rvho know the practical only. A-soldier 
is master of his profession ; a Napoleon only can lead an 
army.— Gamma , Edinburgh. 
-»£*•- 
HARDY BULBS AND PLANTS. 
The above was the subject of a paper written by Herr 
Max Leichtlin, of Baden-Baden, to be read at the 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 24th 
March. The writer of the paper not being able to be 
present, the paper was read by the secretary, the Rev. 
W. Wilks. 
Amongst other points taken up by th9 writer, was 
the raising of the seeds of Himalayan Primulas. If 
kept in moist soil for the space of three weeks, and under 
what are generally considered suitable conditions, the 
seeds will germinate irregularly during that period ; 
but, if after they have been sown for a week, they 
are exposed to a warm gentle rain, seedlings will 
come up freely some twenty-four hours afterwards. 
Seeds of Cyanocrocus and other hard-seeded subjects 
come up readily some time after being subjected to 
frost in the pans. Soft-seeded subjects do not like to 
be thus exposed. Some seeds are difficult to germinate, 
but require patience of the cultivator, and may come 
up in the course of a year. Others perish and never 
come up at all. The best plan, according to his 
experience, is to follow nature rather closely when the 
conditions to which any particular species is subjected 
are known ; but when they are altogether unknown, 
then seed raising must be followed out empirically. 
Hellebores enjoy full exposure to light in winter, but 
they must be carefully shaded in summer. Rock 
plants require to he kept free from manurial matter. 
Gardeners know that certain plants like liquid manure ; 
but they do not know that some are thoroughly adverse 
to it. Leaf-soil he would, however, advise to be used in 
most cases. Crocuses, Tulips, Fritillarias and Muscari 
do well in a sandy soil; but Lilies dislike it. He does 
not give manure to newly imported Lilies. Most of 
them in his herbaceous border have not received any 
manure for the last ten years. Lilium candidum is 
ruined in a few days if freely supplied with liquid 
manure. Liliums and Fritillarias in a wild state are 
generally found growing where a close herbage of grass 
and other plants covers the ground. He has found 
Lilium Martagon in Montenegro in shady positions 
where it got no sun. 
Fritillarias may be got to flower sooner than they 
would otherwise do by removing all the offsets. 
Species of the same, natives of Asia Minor are generally 
found in rapidly decaying gypsum. American and 
HimalayaD Lilies generally like shade. If bulbs of 
Lilies get diseased, either through the agency of fungi 
or insects, they can be restored to health by lifting, 
washing, and exposing them for some time in a dry 
state, after which they should be planted in virgin soil, 
and good results will follow. The writer finished by 
saying that his statements were not the product of 
mere theory, but he had been able to.make them as the 
result of long practice and observation. 
-- 
SNOWFLAKES. 
The Snowflakes proper number three species—namely, 
Leucoium vernum, sometimes called Erinosma vernum, 
L. testivum and L. pulchellum ; but the species of 
Acis and Ruminia are now included under Leucoium, 
so that we have nine species in all. L. aestivum is the 
most widely diseminated in British gardens, L. 
vernum is gaining in popularity, and L. pulchellum is 
found in a few gardens ; but it is doubtful whether 
many of the rest are now in cultivation, although 
several of them were introduced at one time or other. 
The generic name is often spelt Leucojum in this 
country, although the more correct rendering, Leucoium, 
is euphonious enough. The old Greek name used by 
Theophrastus was Leucoion, from leukos , white, and 
ion, a violet, in reference to their white colour and the 
odour of the flowers of some of the species. 
All are hardy or so nearly so that the more tender of 
them may be grown in sunny, sheltered positions, 
preferably on the rockery, so as to ensure perfect 
drainage. What they chiefly require is a rich, open or 
friable soil. The stronger-growing ones succeed in 
almost anything, so that, given a good garden soil, they 
will thrive and flower freely every year without further 
attention than an annual top-dressing of old hot-bed 
manure or even leaf-soil, and keeping the ground clear 
of weeds. The more delicate-growing species should 
have a little peat mixed with the soil, especially if it 
is at all inclined to be heavy or clayey. The rootstock 
being a bulb in all cases there is no difficulty in the 
matter of propagation by offsets. These should be 
removed, or the bulbs transplanted if so desired when 
the foliage has died down and the plants are at rest; 
and this will depend upon the habit of the species, and 
the time it makes its growth. The Snowflakes are 
closely allied to the Snowdrops, the most striking 
distinctions being that the six segments of the perianth 
are all of the same length, with an equal distribution 
of colour, and the scapes of a number of the species 
bear a cluster of flowers instead of a single one. 
The Spring Snowflake (L. vernum).—The flowers 
are of large size, but borne singly on the scapes, and 
the perianth segments are white tipped with green, 
changing to yellow just as they are about to fade. In 
the variety L. v. carpathicum these blotches are always 
yellow. A vigorous-growing variety named L. v. 
"V agneri, or L. v. biflorum in gardens, bears a couple of 
flowers on the scapes. Both the type and the varieties 
commence flowering in March, and are amongst the 
earliest flowers to adorn the garden. It is surprising 
that the species is not more widely disseminated in gar¬ 
dens, considering that it was originally imported from 
Central Europe in 1596. Being altogether distinct 
from the Snowdrop, with larger flowers, and equally 
hardy or almost so, no lover of hardy flowers should be 
without it. The species ranges through the whole of 
Central Europe from France to Bosnia, and southwards 
to the Tyrol. It has also become established in some 
places in the south of England. 
The Summer Snowflake (L. lestivum).—For some 
reason or the other this is the most widely planted 
species in Britain. Its hardy, vigorous nature, the 
beauty of its numerous flowers, and from the fact of 
its being a native, no doubt account for the popularity 
it enjoys. The light green leaves grow from 12 ins. to 
18 ins. in length, equalling or somewhat overtopping 
the flower scapes, which bear from 4—8 flowers in an 
umbel. The perianth segments are white, tipped with 
green, and although not so large as those of L. vernum, 
the number and beauty of the flowers amply compen¬ 
sate for this deficiency. The species flowers from the 
end of April onwards, when, of course, it has more 
competitors for favour than L. vernum. Its ran^e 
of distribution extends from Britain and France to the 
Crimea and Armenia. 
The Beautiful Snowflake (L. pulchellum).—This 
is closely allied to the last, and by some is reckoned a 
mere variety of it. The flowers are smaller and pro¬ 
duced a fortnight earlier, the leaves narrower and 
darker green, and by these characters it may readily 
be distinguished from L. mstivum, than which it is 
far less ornamental, and comparatively seldom seen in 
gardens. For this reason, the name Beautiful Snow¬ 
flake applied to it is not so appropriate as it would 
be to L. aestivum. Cambeseedes has also named it L. 
Hernandezii. In a wild state the species i3 confined 
to Sardinia and the Balearic Isles. 
Tiie Autumn Snowflake (L. autumnale).—Of the 
species formerly ranged under Acis, that now under 
notice is perhaps the best known. The scapes vary 
from 3 ins. to 9 ins. in length and bear 1—3 flowers, 
which are white tinted with red. The leaves are 
slender, thread-like, and developed later than the 
flowers which expand in autumn. In a wild state the 
species inhabits both sides of the Mediterranean, extend¬ 
ing from Portugal and Morocco to the islands of the 
Grecian Archipelago. This is the commonest species of 
the old genus Acis now in cultivation, and was origin¬ 
ally introduced in 1629. 
The Rose-coloured Snowflake (L. roseum). —The 
rosy red, pendulous flower of this species is produced 
singly on the scapes. The species is very rare, and 
inhabits the mountains of Corsica in a wild state. It 
flowers during September and October, and the filiform 
leaves are developed after this. Introduced in 1820. 
The Tangier Snowflake (L. tingitanum).—The 
flowers of this species are white, and produced five or 
six together on a scape about 12 ins. to 18 ins. in 
length. The linear and slender leaves are a foot long, 
and produced at the same time as the flowers in spring. 
It is a comparatively recent introduction from Morocco 
in the vicinity of Tangier. 
The Hair-leaved Snowflake (L. trichophyllum). 
—Two to four flowers are borne on a scape 6 ins. to 
12 ins. long in this case, and the small perianth is 
white flushed with pale red near the base. The leaves 
are filiform or almost hair-like, as the specific name 
implies, and are developed at the same time as the 
flower scapes, which they equal in length. This takes 
place in January, so that the bulbs must be grown 
under glass or in a very sheltered position out-of-doors, 
in order to give them a fair opportunity of displaying 
themselves to anything like advantage in our unfavour¬ 
able climate. It was introduced from Spain in 1820, 
and its variety, L. t. grandifiorum, was introduced from 
Numidia in the same year. The latter is sometimes 
reckoned a distinct species, hut its only distinction is 
that the perianth is from £ in. to % in. longer than in 
the type. The geographical range of the species includes 
Spain, Portugal, Algiers, and Morocco. 
The Long-leaved Snowflake (L. longifolium).— 
The leaves of this species are filiform and slender, but 
are only from 6 ins. to 12 ins. long. The specific name 
would therefore seem not to be very appropriate ; but 
it has no doubt been given from the fact that the leaves 
are longer than the flower scapes. The flowers are 
white, and produced one to three together during the 
months of April and May. The species inhabits the 
mountains of Corsica, at an elevation of 4,500 ft. to 
6,000 ft. 
The Winter Snowflake (L. hyemale).—The name 
of this species is rather misapplied, seeing that it flowers 
in April. The leaves are developed contemporaneously 
with the flower scapes, and though short at first, they 
ultimately attain 1 ft. in length. The flowers are 
white, tinted with green externally, and are generally 
produced singly. The species is a native of the rocks by 
the sea-shore at Nice, Mentone and Villafranc. 
-- 
THE MELON PEAR. 
This belongs to the Solanum family, and was named 
by the eminent French botanist, M. Rousignon, 
Solanum Guatemalense. It is said to be as common in 
Guatemala as the Apple is in this country, and is 
called by the natives “ Pepino.” It was imported into 
this country from Central America in 1886, and dis¬ 
tributed by us in the following spring, but like many 
other valuable introductions, its cultivation was not 
understood, and in most cases it proved a failure ; but 
if the following simple treatment be observed, this 
delicious fruit may be obtained in abundance in the 
autumn and winter months. 
Old plants readily produce fresh healthy cuttings 
early in March, without any undue forcing ; these will 
strike like a Verbena in a gentle moist heat, a bed of hot 
manure being preferable. When rooted, pot them off into 
thumbs, and transfer them into larger pots when they 
have filled the first with roots. The final shift into 
8-in. pots should take place when they are sufficiently 
established, which in most cases will be early in July. 
Belonging to the Solanum family they are very 
subject to red-spider, thrip, &c., and it is therefore not 
advisable to subject the plants at any period of their 
growth to more than ordinary greenhouse temperature; 
indeed, after they receive the final shift, the best place 
