208 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 1, 1888. 
Begonia octopetala and some of the finest of the tuber¬ 
ous section. As you may judge from the photograph, 
the result is a magnificent one, and the new race, ‘oeto- 
petala-Lemoinea ’ is one of the handsomest which I 
have ever raised. The root is somewhat irregularly 
lengthened, black, intermediate in shape between the 
long root in B. octopetala and the spherical corm of a 
tuberous Begonia. The herbaceous stem is very short, 
so that the leaves seem to be radical ; these are broad, 
undulated, of a glossy green, with round hairy stalks- 
The plant bears from six to eight erect flower stalks, 
thick and hairy, about 2 ft. high, and each supporting 
from five to seven flowers, which open at the same 
time. The individual blooms, male and female, attain 
the size of 3 ins. or more across, and are composed of 
six to eight large oval petals which give them some¬ 
what of the shape of Anemone japonica or Anemone 
fulgens. A nearly complete range of colours, from 
pure white to scarlet, with various shades of pink and 
carmine, is to be found in this new class, which pro¬ 
duces a beautiful show of blooms at a season when the 
brightness of the tuberous Begonia is over. The 
photograph was taken on November 10th in my 
nursery, from a variety with pink flowers, one-sixth 
natural size. 
The Vitality of Seeds.—A little pamphlet relating 
to the vitality of seeds found in the wrappings of 
Egyptian mummies has been sent us by Mr. John 
Philipson. It is practically a renewal of the much- 
debated controversy on the germinative power of 
mummy Wheat after having lain dormant for 2,000 or 
3,000 years. Mr. Philipson has collected a considerable 
amount of information on the subject, and read it as a 
paper before the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries. 
There seems to be little doubt that seeds will retain 
their germinating power much longer under certain 
conditions than under those of an unfavourable nature, 
but even after the numerous careful experiments that 
have been made there will still be doubt in the minds 
of many that seeds can live under any conditions 
for such an extraordinary length of time. The writer 
lays stress on the validity of the testimony given by 
the experimenters, whose good faith is unimpeachable, 
their trials being conducted with the greatest care. He, 
however, treats the subject with great fairness, and 
places against his evidence the opinions of a great 
number of highly eminent botanical authorities, who 
deny the probability of mummy Wheat germinating 
after the lapse of so many centuries. 
Suggested International Chrysanthemum Show in 
Edinburgh, 1889.—At the formal opening of the 
Chrysanthemum show in Edinburgh on the 20th inst., 
Councillor Colston said it was an interesting fact in 
the history of the city that the first Chrysanthemum 
show in Scotland was held in the experimental gardens 
in Inverleith Row, which were many years ago added 
to the Royal Botanic Garden. He also remarked that 
there was a fashion in flowers as well as in ladies’ 
bonnets—in shape, in colour, and in quality. The 
Camellia was formerly the favourite flower among the 
ladies. Now it was the Chrysanthemum, and the 
more fantastic it was the more was it admired. Mr. 
W. Thomson, Clovenfords, in moving a vote of thanks 
to Councillor Colston for opening the show, said he had 
reason to believe that the year 1889 would be held as 
the centenary of the introduction of the Chrysanthemum 
into Europe, and great exhibitions would be held in 
England and elsewhere. They had had the honour in 
Scotland of holding the first International Horti¬ 
cultural Exhibition ever held in Europe, and he did 
not see why they should not next year hold a great 
International Chrysanthemum Show. If it could be 
arranged that the Town Council of Edinburgh would 
award a cup with the city arms for a collection of 
Chrysanthemums, he believed other gentlemen would 
follow suit, and such an exhibition of Chrysanthemums 
would be got up as probably never was seen in the 
country. Councillor Colston, in acknowledging the 
motion, said that if a proper representation were made 
to the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council 
on the subject of the cup, they would not be backward 
in considering it. 
-- 
FERNS WITH TINTED AND 
VARIEGATED FRONDS. 
Although all Feins may be truthfully described as 
beautiful or interesting, there are yet some which have 
a distinct peculiarity at a certain period of their growth 
that makes them extremely attractive—notably the 
lovely tints of crimson and shades of crimson and rose 
colour that the young fronds assume before they develop 
to maturity ; while in other kinds the variegation of 
the fronds is an attractive feature, independent of their 
formation. These Ferns when grown and grouped 
about in a general collection will invariably give relief 
to the sombre green that prevails in a Fernery proper, 
the lovely tints of some of the Maidenhair Ferns, the 
exotic Blechnums, the Lomarias and Doodias, with 
the white and yellow variegation of some of the stronger 
and more robust sorts, adding a pleasing relief for the 
eyes to dwell upon. 
The Adiantums. 
Amongst the Ferns that give us a preponderance of 
rosy-coloured tints, the Adiantums claim the largest 
share. They give us coloration from quite dwarf 
subjects up to plants 3 ft. in height, which is a great 
consideration when arranging for effect, either in a 
group in pots, or otherwise in making an effective 
arrangement by planting on rockwork under glass. To 
dispel any illusion that might occur to one not con¬ 
versant with these things, I may as well state that 
these Ferns with tinted and variegated fronds are con¬ 
fined to the exotic and what are termed hardy exotic 
or greenhouse Ferns. All require the protection of a 
greenhouse or frame in order to cultivate them properly, 
and some even require a stove temperature, but may be 
placed with advantage in a cooler structure during the 
summer and autumn months if care be taken to see 
that they are removed to the stove before the autumn 
is too far advanced. For the convenience of those who 
are not accustomed to these things, I will mark with 
an asterisk the kinds that really require stove heat, so 
that they may be avoided if no stove house is kept. If 
we take the dwarfer section of the Adiantums first, 
we find 
A. Legrandi to be a very dense and close-growing 
species, producing what are commonly called double 
fronds, that is, the pinnse and pinnulets are so closely 
set that they overlap each other very much, giving a 
very dense and compact appearance to the frond, 
which rarely exceeds 6 ins. in height, and comes up 
from the crown quite a bright rosy red colour, gradu¬ 
ally changing to dark green ; when grown in heat it 
does not colour near so well, and consequently should 
be kept in a cool fernery. The pinnules of this species 
are very fine, and put one in mind somewhat of the 
well-known A. graeiliimum, but for the fact that they 
are so close set on the short stubby frond, which gives 
to the plant a very dense appearance. 
A. tinctum and A. rubellu/m are two beautiful tinted 
kinds, throwing up fronds about 1 ft. in height, which 
at first assume a rosy tinge ultimately becoming green ; 
both kinds are rather lax in habit, and have a pretty 
effect when used with the more upright-growing kinds, 
such as A. Yeitchii, which has a very erect and brittle 
frond, but which assumes a rich tint of delicate rose 
colour upon the young fronds, changing with age to a 
silvery green or glaucous tinge over the surface of the 
mature frond. A. colpodes will often come with the 
young fronds quite tinged with pink. I have noticed 
it more especially this past summer to be so ; its habit 
of growth is very loose, and consequently is more 
suitable for basket-work, ledges, or rockwork. 
A. Flemingii, a fine stove maidenhair, making long 
fronds with closely set pinnae, somewhat resembling 
A. concinnum in style of frond, but a much darker 
green, and likewise more erect, will at some seasons of 
the year produce its young fronds of a bright rose 
colour, but the species is not to be depended upon to 
do it ; neither is A. Farleyense # , which will occasion¬ 
ally produce its young fronds with quite a pink tinge, 
but no dependence can be placed upon their doing so. 
For rich colour in the young fronds, the following 
may be depended upon to give entire satisfaction to 
the cultivator who may delight in watching these 
forms of nature change from their rich tints of youth 
to the sombre green or silvery green of mature age. 
First and foremost is 
A. tetraphyllum gracile, a compact-growing kind, 
with a rich crimson tint on the young fronds when 
first developed, and continues till they are fully ex¬ 
panded ; the fronds are bipinnate, and arch elegantly 
over at the top of the frond, which, when fully mature, 
are of a dark green colour. 
A. cultratum has the young fronds a deep crimson 
when first developing, and ultimately change to a 
silvery green. A very pleasing and telling species, 
especially when both young and old fronds are on the 
plant at the same time. 
A. macrophyllum *, an old and well-known stove 
Fern, produces fronds very stiff and erect, the young 
fronds being very attractive from their rich tints. A 
very handsome Fern when well grown. 
A. Hendersoni* is a truly noble Fern, putting one in 
mind of a tall plant of Pteris umbrosa, with the 
coloured fronds of Pteris tricolor, It makes fronds 
fully 2 ft. in length, the young ones being a bronzy 
crimson colour. A verv distinct and desirable Adian- 
tum. - TV. G. 
( To be continued.) 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
Influence of Moon Ripening on Buds and 
Blooms.* 
The ripening of the wood of Chrysanthemums is a very 
important matter in the growth of these plants for the 
production of high-class blooms; indeed, without 
perfectly ripened wood it is impossible to have blooms 
of the finest quality in all respects. Let it be under¬ 
stood that what I mean by perfectly ripened wood, is 
wood that is ripened sufficiently by natural means as 
the result of correct treatment throughout. Sun is 
essential for the maturation of plants in all stages of 
their growth ; but in some seasons and districts there 
may be too much of it, and in others not enough, and 
we must make the best of both circumstances. Wood- 
ripening does not consist in merely hardening the 
wood, but storing it with nutriment for the blooms. 
Forcing the ripening, so to say, by drought or in other 
ways, contracts the sap vessels unduly, impeding the 
free flow of nourishment for the blooms at a critical 
time, and those persons who practise such methods in 
cultivation act erroneously and fail to produce the best 
blooms. 
Seasons vary so much that the locality in which 
.growers reside is a very important factor in the pro¬ 
duction of good or bad blooms. Circumstances occur 
over which cultivators have no control, which prevent 
them showing the ability they may be admitted to 
possess. They cannot, for instance, excel during a cold 
wet summer in a low damp district. The higher and 
drier the locality the harder the wood, and the greater 
the disposition of the plants to set buds prematurely. 
This is a difficulty some have to contend with, myself 
among the number. Where buds are persistently 
formed long before the time we wish to see them, much 
valuable time is lost in the growth of the plants in 
their various stages during the time the buds are form¬ 
ing. Moreover, high and dry localities predispose to 
narrow petals, and rather small but solid blooms ; 
while reverse conditions are promotive of broader petals 
and larger blooms. Where the locality is high, the air, 
although much rain may be registered, is drier than in 
the lowlands, and it is this dry air that precipitates 
bud formation that gives so much trouble to some 
growers. The proper time to “take” buds of some 
varieties is upset altogether under such conditions. 
They form either too early or too late for producing 
the finest blooms. 
Then the question of dew is important. During a 
hot and dry summer, as in 1887, the absence of dews 
in high-lying districts is much felt. Dew invigorates, 
and its scarcity or absence has been the cause of many 
small blooms. We can regulate and control moisture 
in the soil, but have practically no power over it in the 
atmosphere. We may do our best and may do some 
good, but after all the most we can do is but little in 
providing compensation for what we may consider the 
shortcomings of Nature. 
When the growth of plants is soft and gross, the 
latter particularly, and the wood pale green instead of 
brown in colour, a want of ripeness is evident. Such 
plants produce blooms large in diameter, but they are 
usually lacking in depth and solidity of the petals. 
This is more noticeable in the incurved section than in 
the Japanese family. Blooms which are composed of 
extra broad florets are seldom if ever as solid as medium¬ 
sized blooms, having narrower petals ; neither can the 
former be considered of such high quality as those deeper 
in build, and consequently more firm and more likely 
to stand fresh a longer time. Blooms having unusually 
broad florets often show decided roughness and irregu¬ 
larity, and the dresser is not able to present such blooms 
in the same highly finished condition as when the 
petals are narrower and the blooms more solid. 
The present season is considered to have been a had 
one for the growth of large high-class blooms, especially 
in the incurved section. This is borne out by the 
examples which have been staged at various exhibitions. 
It cannot be said they have been of the highest 
quality, or as they have been shown in some past 
seasons. Some stands have been extra heavy in the 
size of blooms, owing to the immense breadth of their 
florets, but many of the blooms lacked depth in 
proportion with diameter, consequently they were not 
so solid as they would have been had the blooms been 
deeper in proportion to their breadth. After a summer 
like the past one, we expect to see large blooms which 
lack solidity and closeness of the petals—a condition 
which is owing mainly to the unripened state of the 
-A paper read at Sheffield on November 16th by Mr. E. 
Molyneux. 
