358 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 2, 1889. 
first, not that they are necessarily so in point of beauty 
in my own estimation :—Admiral Seymour, Charles 
Darwin, General Billot, and Magenta King, purple 
coloured ; Grand Chancellor Faidherbe, General Millot, 
and Gustave AVeidemann, crimson ; F. Y. Raspail, 
Erl King, and Pirate, scarlet; Lord Mayor, Rosea 
superba, Lord Derby, Emile de Girardin, Loveliness, 
and Mdme. Thibaut, pink of various shades ; Belle 
Nancienne, Mdme. lloste, and Carillon, salmon ; 
Mdme. Leon Dalloy, blush-white; Candidissimum 
plenum and La Cygne, white. 
Amongst singles, reds of different shades are Lord 
Rosebery, Favourite, Emperor, Lord Chesterfield, and 
Mrs. Johnson ; Mrs. Millar, dark crimson ; Norah and 
Edith Little, blush ; Mrs. Naish and Mrs. Moore, 
white, red centre ; Lady Chesterfield, Kate Farmer, 
and Fanny Catlin, salmon; Mrs. Strutt, Eurydice, 
Kate Greenaway, Mrs. Robertson, and Olive Carr, pink, 
various shades ; Queen of the Belgians, Niphetos, and 
Eureka, white.— George, Potts, Junr., Nortliiavi. 
-- 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
—- 
Daffodils. 
Those who have been provident enough to supply them¬ 
selves with a quantity of bulbs of these beautiful hardy 
flowers will soon be able to enjoy their beauty if the 
bulbs were potted up early, and afterwards forwarded 
in a warm corner of the greenhouse, or in a similar 
position in the dwelling-house, transferring them to the 
window when it became necessary to subject them to 
the kindly influences of light. The sooner they are 
removed to a light position after the leaves appear 
above the soil the better, otherwise the latter will 
become drawn, and unable to support themselves 
without staking, which is a disadvantage both to the 
plants and to the owner. They never appear so neat 
aud tidy as when gradually brought on under the in¬ 
fluence of a clear light, as all the parts then become 
properly developed, and being dwarf and sturdy, always 
look well. Little ventilation is actually necessary 
during winter for window plants, unless the room is 
kept at a very high temperature during the day. 
After the leaves commence to develop, the plants 
should be placed at some distance from the fire, so as 
not to come under the arid influence of the latter, 
which is directly injurious in proportion to the dryness 
of the atmosphere. Some of the earlier kinds that will 
come into flower with comparatively little forcing are 
Narcissus pallidus prrecox, the Tenby Daffodil (N. 
obvallaris), N. minor, N. nanus, and N. minimus. 
The last-named is a very small kind, and is most 
suitable for rockeries in the open air. Several kinds are 
already in the market, and can, of course, be obtained 
by those who do not object to the expense ; but one 
always appreciates what is raised by oneself more than 
those grown by others. 
Hyacinths. 
Examine the frames from time to time where bulbs are 
stored in ashes or coco-nut fibre, and remove those that 
are sufficiently advanced to a light position. Some 
amateurs, for want of better convenience, store their 
bulbs in a cellar, or some warm out-of-the-way corner 
of a house, and where such is the case the same rule 
applies as to those stored in coco-nut fibre. Do not 
leave them a day longer in the dark after the leaves or 
crowns have made 1 in. or 1J in. of growth. It makes 
all the difference between well and badly grown plants, 
while the cost and trouble of obtaining the bulbs and 
bringing them into flower is the same. Well-grown 
plants have always a presentable appearance, and recoup 
the cultivator for his trouble. 
Greenhouse Plants in Flower. 
Of hard-wooded or shrubby kinds, generally spoken of 
amongst gardeners as New Holland plants, there is no 
lack, if amateurs would only make a point of getting 
acquainted with them. There are several kinds of 
Heaths, of which Erica hyemalis may be described as 
the commonest and most easily cultivated. Then there 
are numerous garden forms of Epacris, which are 
equally beautiful in a cut state as for the decoration of 
the greenhouse. Their conditions as to culture are 
similar to those of the Heaths, that is, they must be 
kept cool, and moderately but continuously moist; the 
latter condition being of paramount importance. A 
very old-fashioned plant is Coronilla glauca, with 
yellow, pea-shaped flowers, arranged in umbels or little 
crowns, as expressed in the generic name. A variegated 
form, named C. g. variegata, is even more interesting 
and pretty, as the leaves are distinctly variegated with 
creamy yellow, giving additional attractions to those of 
the flowers. Cytisus racemosus is even more easily 
cultivated, and has similar flowers, arranged in erect 
racemes ; after flowering it can be cut back into the 
desired shape before the next year’s wood commences 
to form. Several very handsome Acacias will flower from 
now onwards till late in the spring. The best now in 
flower is A. Drummondi, which bears a profusion of 
yellow flowers in spikes. 
Besides Daffodils and Hyacinths already mentioned, 
by a little forcing or forwarding in gentle heat, or at 
the warmest end of the greenhouse, Paper White 
Narcissus, Lily of the Valley, Tulips and Crocuses 
may be had in flower. Chinese Primulas and 
Cyclamens in great variety are also plentiful, and 
create a glow of colour that makes their presence 
indispensable in’any well-regulated greenhouse. 
Selaginellas. 
Several of the Selaginellas are so well suited for 
greenhouse culture, that the wonder is they are not 
more largely adopted, on account of their evergreen 
character, and the freshness they give, when fairly well 
grown, to a general collection of plants. The impression 
with many is that they are hothouse plants, requiring 
a high temperature for their well-being, but such is far 
from being the case. It is true they will not grow so 
rapidly ; but they will be more robust, dwarf, sturdy, 
and durable than such plants as are grown in a stove 
temperature. Some of the most suitable kinds for 
greenhouse culture are S. Martensii, and numerous 
forms of it, including S. M. robusta variegata and 
S. M. robusta itself; also S. Braunii, with feathery 
branching stems about 1 ft. in height; S. caulescens 
and its even prettier variety S. c. minor, which seldom 
exceeds 6 ins. in height, forming compact tufts of 
great beauty. There are also several other beautiful 
forms of it. The old creeping S. Kraussiana is 
generally one of the first to be taken in hand, and 
proves particularly suitable for the edgings of walks, 
and for the front of the staging, or for covering the 
surface of flower-pots, for which it is very popular 
where decorative work has to be done. 
Herbaceous Plants. 
The weather continues open, although not particularly 
mild, and the ground is in a cold, wet and sodden 
state. Nevertheless, although the conditions are 
not very inviting for planting operations, yet much 
may be done, and many alterations made, that for 
want of time cannot be properly attended to later on 
in the season, when gardening operations of all kinds 
demand immediate attention. Many spring flowers 
that have not been transferred to the positions where 
they are wanted to flower may, when the soil is 
dry, be planted. Amongst these may be mentioned 
"Wallflowers, Daisies, Primroses, and Forget-me-nots 
from the seed bed. The wood Forget-me-not (Myosotis 
sylvatica), both blue and white, is perhaps the most 
extensively used for spring bedding, because it flowers 
early and most profusely. Although a perennial it 
gives most satisfaction if raised from seeds every year, 
or allowed to sow itself, aud the seedlings transplanted 
to where they are wanted. 
The herbaceous border proper should be overhauled 
before it receives its annual manuring and forking over. 
Plants requiring re-arrangement, according to their 
respective heights, should first be seen to ; then those 
that have grown too large for the space allotted to 
them, should be reduced to their proper dimensions, 
and the surplus either planted in a reserve piece of 
ground for distribution amongst friends, or placed in 
vacant and suitable positions in the shrubberies, or 
even planted in the less well-kept part of the garden, 
which we may for convenience sake describe as the wild 
garden. Many of the stronger-growing kinds are 
particularly well adapted for this kind of work. 
Employment of Parasites for the Destruction 
of Insects. —It has already been known for a long time 
that certain insects are destroyed in great numbers by 
parasitical fungi, which take up their abode in their 
tissues. The common fly and certain caterpillars 
furnish frequent examples of it. There is also the 
proposal of the artificial employment of these parasites 
by sowing their spores, in view of the destruction of 
noxious insects ; this is only one step. Air. Charles 
Brongniart, in a note read at the Academy of Sciences, 
wishes that it were possible to create the use of Ento- 
mophora for the destruction of crickets, locusts, &c. 
AVe recall to mind that this view has been heard before 
it had been formulated, and that in Russia, Air. 
Sorokine has found out, for some time past, how to 
produce in notable quantity spores of parasitical fungi, 
which have been employed with an assured success 
against the multiplication of divers animals, enemies 
of our cultures .—Le Jardin. 
Hardening §1iscellany. 
Habrothamnus elegans. 
A correspondent (“R. D.”) writing on Habrothamnus 
elegans, says it needs to be grown in a shady situation. 
It probably does well enough in such a place, but we 
generally strike a few cuttings every year, and plant 
out in the open ground about June in a fully exposed 
position. "When frosts come we take them up, usually 
using 10-in. pots, these being about the smallest size 
we can get them into. By putting them into an inter¬ 
mediate house the plants bloom about the 1st of 
December, and by keeping a stock in the retarding 
house we can have flowers all the winter. Treated in 
this way we get immense bunches cf bloom. Two 
or three plants were left to test their hardiness, and 
they easily endured 10° of frost. — T. D. Hatfield, 
Wellesley, Mass. U.S.A., January 15 th. 
Staphylea colchica. 
One of the features of the conservatory at Camden 
Wood, Chislehurst, just now, is a fine plant of 
Staphylea colchica, nearly 3 ft. high and as much in 
diameter, literally smothered with its white waxy 
flowers. Tillandsia Lindeni splendens is also very 
effective in the same house.— W. P. 
The Silver Wattle. 
Although originally introduced in 1S20, Acacia 
dealbata, or the Silver Wattle, as it is popularly called, 
is comparatively a neglected plant in this country. A 
reaction in its favour seems to be gaining ground in 
some establishments, and if it continues a great gain 
will have been made. Its value is well recognised in 
the south of France and other countries bordering on 
the Alediterranean, from whence large quantities of the 
flowering branches are annually sent to the London 
markets. It made its appearance again some weeks 
ago, and the supply will continue for many more weeks. 
The foliage is of that kind which folds up at night 
when in a dry condition, and is popularly spoken of as 
going to sleep. The silvery white of the underside of 
the leaves is well seen in these market specimens ; but 
owing to their being folded up, they are of less value 
than the flowers, which retain their yellow colour and 
fresh appearance for many weeks after being cut and 
quite dry. They may thus be used for decorative pur¬ 
poses much in the same way as Everlastings. A cool 
conservatory is the best place to grow the plant in this 
country, and if it can be planted out it appears to best 
advantage, producing an enormous quantity of flowers 
annually, after which it may be cut back to retain it 
within due bounds. 
Wintersweet. 
Several exotic members of the Dogbane family are 
amongst the most beautiful occupants of the stoves of 
this country, and not a few of them are notable for the 
strong and generally delicious odour that pervades the 
house in which they may be grown. In this category 
the subject of this note, Toxicophhea spectabilis, or 
AVintersweet, as it is popularly termed, may be placed. 
It forms a shrub about 4 ft. or 6 ft. high, with leathery 
evergreen leaves ; but if so desired it may be grown as 
a stove plant, from 18 ins. to 21 ins. in height, and 
successfully flowered. Indeed, the greater part of the 
annual growths are furnished with clusters of flowers 
in the axils of their leaves, forming beautiful sprays 
from 1 ft. to 2 ft. in length or more. After the plant 
has flowered it may be cut into shape before starting it 
into fresh growth. Flowering as it does in winter it is 
especially valuable for the decoration of the stove or 
warm conservatory, when it makes itself particularly 
noticeable by its powerful fragrance, and for this, as 
■well as its white flowers, it is highly esteemed by 
all who grow it. 
Gardening by tlie Sea. 
The following quaint communication has lately been 
received by Air. A. Dean, from “one who goes down 
to the sea in ships” :—“I am sure you think it strange 
at not hearing from me, but as Dr. Johnson of old 
used to say, ‘sailors are half their lives in a prison with 
the chances of being drowned,’ and this has just been 
my case since the middle of last month. Aly return 
home is almost rejoiced over, not only by my own 
family, but by all our old neighbours who hold garden 
plots beside me, and I see they have not neglected my 
farm during my absence. I must tell you my farming 
neighbours are old sailor-men, and my oldest chum 
