692 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 29, 1889. 
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New Tuberous Begonias. 
Loed Weymoxjth. —The stems of this variety are 
rather dwarf (8 ins. to 12 ins.) when at their best, and 
well furnished with bloom. The latter is of large size, 
perfectly double, and made up of numerous rosettes, 
the outer petals of which are orange, and the inner 
ones white. A plant was exhibited at Regent's Park, 
on the 19th inst., by Mr. J. Ford, gardener to Sir C. 
Pigott, Wexham Park, Slough, and received a Flori- 
cultural Certificate. 
Miss French. —The flower-buds of this variety open 
of a pale creamy yellow, but become French-white 
when fully expanded. The outer and larger petals are 
crenated at the margins. 
Majestica. —The flowers of this form are single, of 
great size, and bright scarlet. The sepals are of great 
breadth, especially the outer ones, which give the 
blooms a circular outline. The leaves are very broad 
and deep green. 
Lady Stafford Nortiicote.— The orange-salmon 
colour of this variety is rather novel and pleasing, the 
petals being broad, and arranged somewhat loosely, and 
altogether more tasteful in this respect than when the 
latter are densely crowded. All the three weie ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. John Laing k Sons, Forest Hill, at 
Regent’s Park, on the 19th inst., and received Flori- 
cultural Certificates. 
Lady Lewisham. —The flowers of this are very 
large and double, and consist of many rosettes of a 
reddish salmon colour. The petals are rather densely 
crowded, and somewhat undulated. The leaves are 
long and dark green. 
A. F. Barron. —Habit dwarf, and carrying its 
flowers well above the foliage. The flowers are fully 
double, of moderate size, and consist of a few large 
rosettes, not in any way crowded. They are rose in 
the centre and pink outwards. 
Melaine Soupert.— Flowers pale yellow when 
young, changing to a pure white, and consist of a 
single large and rather loose rosette, that is, there is 
only one centre to the flower. The outer petals are 
much the longest, and show themselves conspicuously 
beyond the central rosette. 
Miss Matthews. —There are several rosettes in this 
flower, rather loosely arranged, with rounded petals. 
The whole flower is of a soft salmon-pink, and very 
pretty. The above-mentioned four varieties were 
shown at Regent’s Park on the 19th inst., by Messrs. 
H. Cannell k Sons, Swanley, Kent, who received 
Florieultural Certificates for them. 
New Delphiniums. 
Castro. —Spikes of considerable length and closely 
occupied with bloom. The individual flowers are large, 
of an intense sky-blue, and slightly marked with 
purple. 
Duke of Teck. —In habit and general vigour this 
variety T resembles the last, and the flowers also are of a 
very intense blue, comparable to that of the dark blue 
Gentians. The small petals occupying the centre are 
white. 
Princess Maud.— This form has light blue flowers, 
with the inner sepals tinted with pale red. The petals 
are small, white, and filling the centre of the bloom. 
These three were exhibited at Regent’s Park on the 
19th inst. by Messrs. Kelway & Sons, Langport, 
Somerset, when they were awarded Florieultural 
Certificates. 
Mrs. Roper. —Flowers of medium size, and closely 
arranged on a large branching inflorescence. The 
sepals are pale or soft sky-blue, and some of them are 
tipped with a pale metallic purple. Exhibited by Mr. 
T. S. Ware at Regent’s Park on June 19 th. A Flori- 
cultural Certificate was awarded. 
Britannia. —The flowers of this variety are very 
large, rather thinly arranged on the inflorescence, but 
striking from their bold appearance. The sepals are 
of an intense blue, with the outer ones having a broad 
purple edge. The centre is filled up with numerous 
small white petals, giving the whole a lively appear¬ 
ance. 
The Shah. —The central raceme of the inflorescence 
is strong and densely arranged with rich dark-coloured 
flowers, shaded with purple on a blue ground. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence.— This is a very pleasing 
variety on account of its paler, softer, and more delight¬ 
ful colours. The flowers are of good size as Delphiniums 
are now reckoned, and are of a soft, yet rich sky blue, 
shaded with pale rosy or reddish purple. The centre 
is occupied with small white petals. 
Banquo. —The flowers of this variety are large, and 
thinly arranged on the inflorescence. The outer sepals 
are deep blue, and the inner ones deep purple. All the 
four were exhibited by Messrs. Kelway & Son, Lang¬ 
port, Somerset, at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on 
Tuesday last, when they each received an Award of 
Merit. 
Tea Rose, Souvenir de S. A. Prince. 
For description of this new white Tea Rose see p. 660- 
A stand of bloom was exhibited at the second summer 
show of the Royal Botanic Society by Mr. Geo. Prince, 
Oxford, when a Florieultural Certificate was awarded 
it. 
Phlox, White Swan. 
This is a rather early-flowering Phlox of the P. 
paniculata type, with stems about 2 ft. high, and lance¬ 
shaped, acuminate leaves. The flowers are large, 
white with a pale purple eye, and are rather chaste. 
Numerous specimens were exhibited at Regent’s Park 
on the 19th inst. by Mr. J. Chambers, Westlake 
Nursery, Isleworth, and a Florieultural Certificate was 
accorded them. 
H. P. Rose, Duchess of Albany. 
A stand of bloom of this variety was shown by Messrs. 
Wm. Paul & Sons, Waltham Cross, at the last summer 
show of the Royal Botanic Society, and a Florieultural 
Certificate was awarded. The blooms were of great size, 
resembling La France in form, and were rose in the 
centre and pink outside, with broad recurved petals. 
New Paeonies. 
Mrs. Chamberlain. —This and the two following are 
colour varieties of Pieonia albiflora, a Siberian species. 
The flowers in this instance are large, fully double, and 
blush-pink. 
Prince George. —Flowers large and very double, 
with deep reddish crimson petals. 
Calliphon. —Unlike the above two the flowers of 
this variety are single. The petals are few, very broad, 
and rose-coloured with pink edges. The yellow 
stamens form a very large and prominent mass occu¬ 
pying the centre. All three were exhibited by Messrs. 
Kelway & Sons, Langport, Somerset, at the last show 
of the Royal Botanic Society, and were awarded Flori- 
cultural Certificates. 
STEAM v. HOT-WATER 
HEATING. 
I have been greatly interested in the article quoted at 
p. 656, from the American Florist, referring to over¬ 
head heating and to the merits of steam and hot water 
for this purpose. I have had a great deal to do with 
both these systems, and I am quite convinced that 
heating by hot water is by far the better system for all 
horticultural purposes. We in this country have 
lately been going in more for steam, following in this 
the American practice ; but it is a backward step, and 
there are distinct indications that the Americans are 
beginning to recognise the advantages of hot water for 
heating purposes. 
The advantages of hot water are so obvious that it is 
almost unnecessary to enumerate them. First of all 
there is the extreme simplicity of the hot-water system 
(of course, I refer to the low pressure), requiring neither 
pressure gauge, water gauge, injector, nor safety valve ; 
it is difficult to put it out of order, and will run for many 
hours without attention ; it keeps the heat up more 
steadily, and the heat is milder. What has steam to 
recommend it 1 I know of nothing, while no doubt by- 
and-bye a law will be passed making it compulsory for 
a trained man to be in charge of every steam boiler, 
and the sooner the better, for where there is steam 
under pressure there is always considerable risk ; this 
will be a further disadvantage. 
The overhead heating advantages are not so clear, 
nor does the article referred to show that it has any. 
The astronomical part is rather mixed ; we get our heat 
from the sun, truly, but on a hot day it is much colder 
at the top of the Eiffel Tower than at the bottom, 
although the top is nearest the sun. I should like to 
know how overhead heating only would suit for 
hothouses 6 ft., 7 ft., 8 ft. and 10 ft. high at the sides. 
A very low house may be heated from top or bottom 
I have no doubt, and an overhead pipe may be of 
advantage in some cases, but overhead heating, as a 
rule, is a reversal of the proper order theoretically and 
practically.— A. Donald MaeKcnzie, Edinburgh. 
BROAD BEANS. 
The Broad Bean, though not so universally popular as 
its confrere, the garden Pea, still occupies an important 
position as a garden vegetable. Its rather peculiar 
flavour does not suit the palates of some persons, while 
others are very fond of it, and look forward to the 
season of its introduction to the table with longing 
interest. It is not my intention to endeavour to write 
a long article on its general cultivation, varieties and 
uses, but simply to call attention to a few interesting 
things in connection with it, and also one or two 
different methods of practice. 
There are many varieties of Broad Beans, but those 
in general use may be classed in three sections—viz,, 
the Mazagan, the Windsor, and the Long-pod, with 
their varieties and selections under their several 
commercial names. These would include all those 
which are most suitable for any garden requirements. 
The Broad Bean is said to have been originally brought 
from Egypt, but it has, however, been cultivated from 
time immemorial in all parts of Europe, and even in 
China and Japan. The Early Mazagan, which still holds 
the first place as the most useful early variety, was 
introduced from Mazagan, on the north-west coast of 
Africa, just outside the Straits of Gibraltar, an old 
Portugese settlement, from whence it takes its name, 
and according to an old botanical herbal, of which I 
cannot give the author, when first introduced the seeds 
were much smaller than the common Horse Bean, “but 
after the seed has been saved for two years in succession 
in England the beans become larger, and do not ripen 
so soon, which is a symptom of its degeneracy.” 
For the production of the earliest crops there are two 
methods of practice. The first is sowing in the early 
part of November, repeating the operation at successive 
intervals until the main-crop sowing in March and 
April. The second mode is to sow in pans or boxes in 
heat in February, hardening off and transplanting to 
an outside position when the plants are about 3 ins. 
high, warm and sheltered borders being in both cases 
understood. Each method has its advocates, but I 
prefer the latter process, for I find that those which are 
transplanted will be several days earlier than those 
sown in the autumn, and if evergreen branches are 
stood between the rows to ward off the frosts and cold 
winds, it will help them along considerably; besides, all 
trouble in connection with loss of crop, which is so 
usual in winter, will thus be obviated. 
There is also much difference of opinion as to whether 
or not the plants should be topped when in flower, 
which course would induce fruitfulness. I have heard 
many controversies amongst gardeners on this question. 
This would surely depend upon the requirements. If 
seed is required, topping would be decidedly beneficial, 
and even thinning the young pods to ensure good sound 
plump seeds of superior quality ; but if the crop is 
intended for table use, and which is usually gathered 
very young, topping is not so necessary. I have 
gathered the pods when they were very young and 
tender, to be used in the same manner as French Beans, 
that is, the pods sliced up and cooked, when they are 
really very nice, and in such cases quantity is required, 
and the duration of the crop would be greatly shortened 
by topping. 
In former times there seem to have been many 
curious prejudices and superstitions in connection with 
the Bean. Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher, 
religiously abstained from eating the Bean, and also 
forbad his disciples to feed upon them. Many versions 
have been given by different commentators for this 
interdiction. Some say the Bean was believed to he 
the retreat of the soul after death, and by others 
because the seed was consecrated to the gods by some 
nations. Others supposed that the prohibition was 
founded merely on sanitary principles, that Beans were 
unwholesome, and that many people were subjected to 
certain ailments during the flowering season—the 
“ blackspot,” as it is called, in the centre of the blossom 
being prophetic of the maladies which were to ensue. 
We have a similar superstition amongst us in the 
present day with respect to “hay fever,” which 
happens about the same time as the blooming of the 
Bean, but these ailments would more probably be 
attributable to the excessive summer heats, which 
usually occur during that period. Other commentators, 
however, affirm that when Pythagoras said “abstain 
from Beans,” he only meant that his disciples should 
abstain from intermeddling with political affairs, as 
votes were formerly given by Beans, and even in the 
present day we find vestiges of this practice. Some of 
us would say that this was wise policy, often applicable 
to circumstances in the present age .—Alfred Gaut. 
