214 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 1, 1888. 
The Amateurs' Garden. 
Flowers to Succeed the Chrysanthemums. 
Many amateurs have difficulty in finding suitable 
subjects to render their greenhouses gay after the 
Chrysanthemums pass out of bloom. There are many 
things that, with a little attention, might be grown on 
by the amateur himself provided he can spare the 
necessary time for potting, watering, and ventilating, 
according to the requirements of the season. Even 
those who have been unable to devote that attention 
to their plants may still be able to make their 
houses look gay at a trifling cost from the florist’s 
window. If a gentle warmth be maintained in the 
greenhouse, a lengthened display can be kept up by a 
few each of Chinese Primulas, Cyclamens, white Mar¬ 
guerites (Paris Daisies, as they are called, which are 
varieties of Chrysanthemum frutescens), and scarlet- 
berried Solanums. Trumpet Lilies (also popularly 
termed Callas), together with Roman Hyacinths, 
Violets, Bouvardias in great variety, Cytisus racemosus, 
with its long racemes of yellow Pea flowers, and the 
commonest cf all cultivated Heaths—namely, Erica 
hyemalis—may be kept in a healthy flowering condition 
with a small amount of trouble. 
Then there are numerous very beautiful shrubs, varie¬ 
gated or otherwise, that can easily be grown in the 
open garden with the smallest amount of trouble 
possible during the summer ; and when the show house 
begins to look shabby after the Chrysanthemums are 
over, nothing could be more easy then to lift the best 
variegated and the most bushy specimens, pot them 
up, and transfer them to the greenhouse. Amongst 
the numerous forms of Euonymus are E. japonicus 
aureo-marginatus, E. j. latifolius albus, E. j. latifolius- 
aureus, and a dwarfer kind named E. radicans varie- 
gatus. The hardest and most difficult thing about 
these plants is their names, as they are hardy, of the 
easiest culture, and very beautifully variegated. Then 
there are Aucubas, with their glossy evergreen leaves 
splashed with golden blotches, and furnished with hand¬ 
some red berries all the winter. They may be grown in 
the open garden with the Euonymus during summer, and 
potted up in winter while in fruit. Both plants may 
be propagated by means of cuttings in the open 
ground—the Euonymus in summer and the Aucubas 
in autumn and winter. 
Hardy Heaths. 
Lovers of hardy flowers, and possessing only small 
gardens, would no doubt be tempted to grow some of 
the hardy Heaths if they knew how easily it might be 
done. In gardens where they are grown and well 
looked after, they in many places get trimmed in 
annually after the flowering period to keep them in 
small compass ; but the so-called pruning is unnecessary 
and may be dispensed with. The object in mentioning 
it is to show that any quantity of sprays may be cut 
from the plants while in bloom. They naturally grow 
in peat, and although some of them, such as Erica 
herbacea, will thrive and flower magnificently in 
moderately moist soil, lightened up with sandy 
material, yet in making up a bed specially for them a 
good quantity of peat should be used if obtainable, 
especially in the warm dry climate of southern counties. 
Besides the above Heath, Erica ciliaris, E. tetralix, 
E. cinerea and some of its fine dark or white varieties, 
E. vagans and E. v. alba, are all beautiful and easily 
grown. The common Heaths, Calluna vulgaris, C. v. 
alba, white, C. v. Alportii, deep purple, and C. v. 
flore pleno, double-flowered, should find a place 
wherever hardy flowers are cultivated. 
Shrubs for Villa Gardens. 
When there is such great variety at command it is 
surprising to find the shrubberies in villa gardens, 
especially in towns, filled with the common Cherry 
Laurel or the common Privet, both of which are 
useful in their way, but they are too extensively 
employed. The oval-leaved Privet (Ligustrum ovali- 
folium) is much better; but the Chinese species 
(L. sinense) and the Japanese kind (L. japonicum) are 
better than either. The Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus 
glandulosa) becomes a tall tree in time, but by hard 
pruning it may be kept down to the dimensions of a 
shrub where space cannot be afforded, and feathery- 
like leaves a yard in length will be produced every 
year. Rhus typhina has similar and finer, although 
smaller leaves than the Tree of Heaven, but both of 
them, as well as Rhus glabra laciniata, are admirably 
adapted for town gardens. They are deciduous, but 
evergreen subjects are the numerous forms of Euonymus 
japonicus, Aucuba japonica, Yucca gloriosa, and Y. g. 
recurvifolia. The two latter are handsome subjects 
when in flower, which they do as well in the villa 
garden as in that of the nobleman, and afford a very 
distinct type of vegetation all the year round. Amongst 
deciduous flowering shrubs, the common Lilac, with its 
white variety at least, the Persian Lilac, also Spiraea 
ariaefolia, S. Douglasii, and the pretty profuse-flowering 
Ceanothus Gloire de Versailles, with its myriads of 
tiny deep sky-blue flowers, should obtain a place. If 
single Roses are desired for the shrubbery, no better 
than Rosa rugosa, and its white variety, R. r. alba, 
could be used. 
-»>X<-- 
NOVEMBER FLOWERS AT 
CHELSEA. 
No matter whatever time of the year, nor however 
dull the season, we always find a varied display of 
many classes of plants in the nurseries of Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. Surrounded as they are by 
houses, and in the midst of fog and smoke, there is 
much to contend against, and a great deal to baffle the 
skill of the grower, so that the success is all the more 
creditable when attained amidst such surroundings. 
Orchids. 
The rockwork recently constructed in one of the houses 
here is now gay with a great variety of Orchids, in¬ 
cluding a fine piece of Cymbidium Mastersii in full 
bloom, long drooping sprays of Oneidium erispum and 
0. prsetextum, whose chocolate-brown and yellow 
flowers contrast finely with the pure white Lycaste 
Skinneri alba, the spotted Maxillaria picta, or the Dove 
Orchid (Peristeria elatal, with flower-stems over a yard 
in height. The rosy purple flowers of Barkeria 
Lindleyana are also as cheerful as the bearded 
Coelogyne barbata is curious. In other houses one 
meets with the showy flowers of Odontoglossum grande, 
the spotted 0. nebulosum and the deliciously-scented 
Trichosmi suavis. The striped and barred Ansellia 
africana also vies with the striped and highly fragrant 
Oneidium tigrinum. The chaste Dendrobium endo- 
charis is also a sweet thing, and Oneidium cheirophorum 
is by no means to be despised, either for the small size 
of its yellow flowers or their odour. 0. serratum is a 
twining species in the way of 0. macranthum, but 
having very different flowers. Miltonia Roezlii smells 
like a China Rose, and keeps good company with 
Phalsenopsis amabilis and P. rosea. A large number 
of Cypripediums are flowering freely, including C. 
cenanthum superbum, C. Schroderae and C. Leeanum 
superbum. 
Begonias. 
The wdnter-flowering John Heal is still in perfection ; 
indeed, its rosy carmine flowers borne in erect trusses 
are better than ever. A few bright sunny days effect 
wonders with this fine hybrid. Adonis is about 12 ins. 
high, with much larger rosy carmine flowers tinted 
with scarlet, and borne on long drooping flower stems 
clear above the foliage. The latest of this section, 
"Winter Gem, having brilliant crimson-carmine flowers, 
is now in full bloom ; it is of extremely dwarf habit. 
Autumn Rose is a hybrid between B. insignis as the 
seed parent, and B. socotrana, and bears pretty rosy 
flowers on erect trusses. B. Gloire de Jouy is of 
the B. incarnata type, and has drooping white or 
blush-tinted flowers, and spotted foliage. John 
Heal does not drop its flowers, and might be used for 
cutting purposes, the blooms lasting a long time in 
a fresh condition. 
Chrysanthemums. 
A house is devoted to these popular autumn flowers, 
and besides containing all the leading kinds, we also 
noticed a large number of new Japanese sorts, 
including Mrs. F. Thompson, very large white, 
suffused and striped purple; President Hyde, deep 
yellow ; Sokota, deep yellow, with broad florets ; 
William Elliott, rich velvety crimson-purple ; Mabel 
Douglas, brilliant yellow, of the Source d’Or type ; 
Miss Clara Harris, pink with white centre ; Lady Cave, 
white with narrow florets and very pretty ; and Mrs. 
Langtry, large, pure white with long tubular florets. 
Bouvardias and Greenhouse Plants. 
In the show house is a large assortment of Heaths, 
Roman Hyacinths, Chinese Primulas, Marguerites, 
Chrysanthemums, Solanums, and other subjects ; while 
in another house is a fine strain of large-flowered 
Cyclamens in all the leading colours. Tree Carnations 
include Miss Joliffe, pink ; Van Houtte, scarlet; 
Zouave, crimson ; Sir C. Wilson, deep red; and others. 
Bouvardias are extremely gay, and none more so than 
the brilliant scarlet President Cleveland. The white 
Vreelandi is very floriferous, as well as the pink Priory 
Beauty, the double white Alfred Neuner, double pink 
President Garfield, and all the other leading varieties 
in this useful class of plants. 
Lemoine's Hardy Hybrid Gladioli. 
1 had no idea until I read the note in your columns 
respecting the flowering of six-month-old seedlings of 
these plants in Mr. C. B. Powell’s garden, that they 
would flower in so very early a stage of their existence, 
but the fact that they do so adds greatly to their value. 
The only other bulbous plants with which I am ac¬ 
quainted that bloom so soon from seed are the hybrid 
forms of Montbretia crocosmiseflora, which I have 
myself bloomed within nine months of their being 
sown.— W. E. Gumblelon. 
Adiantum "Williamsii. 
The Golden Maidenhair. This is not only a beautiful 
but an exceedingly useful Fern, and one that should 
be grown extensively in every gardening establishment 
where cut Fern and furnishing is in great demand. It 
is a very free-growing greenhouse species. It was 
introduced from Peru, I believe, in the year 1887, 
where it was found growing on the mountains at an 
elevation of 10,000 ft., and even higher ; it is, tfiere- 
fore, almost hardy. The fronds are of a light green 
colour, the under sides golden, and grow from 1 ft. to 
2 ft. high, of a graceful pendulous habit, which renders 
them particularly useful and of great value for cutting 
purposes, as the fronds when used for making up vases 
give them a light airy appearance, and they keep fresh 
much longer than Adiantum cuneatum. As a Fern 
for room decoration it his a great deal to recommend 
it, for provided it gets proper attention in regard to 
water, it will stand the dry atmosphere of the drawing¬ 
room for a length of time. It is also a splendid Fern 
for exhibition purposes, anl a small plant, if treated 
liberally and given an intermediate temperature, will 
quickly make a specimen. I noted a very fine plant at 
Summerville the other day (over 6 ft. through), which 
Mr. Dumper informed me was in a 6-in. pot five years 
ago.— S. 0. [This plant was illustrated in our second 
volume, p. 361.—Ed.] 
Monochaetum ensiferum.. 
Many old-fashioned greenhouse subjects, besides those 
popularly termed New Holland plants, are much 
neglected, which, if well grown, would impart a cheerful 
aspect to the greenhouse or cool conservatory, and lend 
muchinterest to the more commonly cultivated subjects. 
The plant under notice is an instance in question. 
Some twenty-three species are known to science, natives 
of temperate and warm temperate countries of North 
and South America. Several of them have been intro¬ 
duced from time to time, but do not seem to become 
widely distributed in this country, or they afterwards 
drop out of cultivation. M. ensiferum forms dwarf 
bushy plants from 12 ins. to IS ins. in height, and 
continues to produce flowers of good average size for 
many weeks during the winter months. The four 
petals are of a bright rose colour, set off with crimson 
stamens in the centre, which are kneed and furnished 
with curious yellow appendages ; this is frequent and 
very characteristic of the family of Melastomads, to 
which the plant under notice belongs. A large quantity 
of this and some other kinds may be seen in the 
nurseries of Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Trevesia eminens. 
As a table decorative plant this might be more fre¬ 
quently cultivated than at present. It belongs to the 
same family as the Ivies and Aralias, and is not 
distantly allied to the latter. It bears considerable 
resemblance to Aralia Kerchoveana, a native of the 
South Sea Islands. The latter has nine to eleven 
leaflets arranged on the digitate plan—that is, the 
leaflets are separated to the base, forming in the 
aggregate a nearly circular leaf. That of Trevesia 
eminens is also nearly circular, but they are cut down 
into nine or eleven segments, all joined for a short 
distance at the base, and serrated along the margins. 
They are borne on moderately long petioles, so that 
they assume a gracefully arching position, making the 
plant suitable for decorative purposes. Being a native 
of the Philippines it requires stove temperature, and 
when of moderate size it forms a very distinct subject 
in a collection of stove plants. It is believed by some 
to be merely a form of the Hand Plant (T. palmata), 
where the segments become suddenly cut down to the 
mid-ribs, leaving a bare space on the latter, which are 
again connected by a web of tissue at the base, giving 
the whole leaf a very curious appearance. 
