February 23, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
401 
and width, that the idea of a change in style does not 
meet with approval. 
The Annual Supper of Scottish Horticulturists 
took place on the 14th inst. at the Windsor 
Hotel, Edinburgh, Mr. Dunn, Dalkeith, presiding, 
and Messrs. D. P. Laird and Janies Grieve acting 
as croupiers. In proposing “Scottish Horticulture,” 
the chairman referred to Scottish gardeners who had 
scoured the world for the riches of nature to adorn their 
houses and clothe the landscape, and said that if they 
did not now make the best use of the efforts these men 
had made, it would be so much the worse for horticul¬ 
turists. He hoped they would do their level best to 
keep their heads as high as heretofore. Mr. Machattie, 
Newbattle, in replying, said Scotland’s first tutors in 
agriculture and horticulture were the monks. In every 
monastery there was one man whose special duty it was 
to superintend and instruct the neighbouring districts 
in the arts of agriculture and pomology. The neces¬ 
sities of life having thus been ministered to, time and 
opportunity gave to men of taste and culture the chance 
of considering how they could beautify their gardens 
and protect their homes by graceful shrubs and many- 
tinted flowers. Mr. Laird, in proposing the toast of 
“Pomology,” stated that there was no doubt that fruit 
culture was becoming a commercial feature in the 
country. At this stage a souvenir of the Dunkeld 
Fruit Convention, held on 31st August last, was pre¬ 
sented to Mr. Fairgrieve, Dunkeld, and was duly 
acknowledged. Mr. Ireland, in responding to the toast 
of “The Nursery and Seed Trades,” proposed by Mr. 
A. D. Mackenzie, said that the demand for cut flowers 
was a remarkable development of the last twenty or 
thirty years. Several other toasts followed. 
-- 
NEW INVENTIONS. 
Messrs. Charles ToorE & Co., Stepney Square, 
London, E., who have introduced many contrivances 
into public notice of considerable usefulness to ama¬ 
teurs, and especially in the way of small heating 
apparatuses, for which there is such a constant demand 
among owners of small greenhouses, have called our 
attention to a few more novelties which will meet the 
wants of some one or another. Specially worthy of 
notice is their Simplex Fumigator, which will prove a 
boon to all for whom the ordinary fumigators used by 
professional men are too large and too costly. This 
simple contrivance, as shown in the accompanying 
illustration, is just the thing to use in a small green¬ 
house, or to fumigate a frame, and it has this advantage 
to a smoker, that he has always got his materials 
handy. The cap end of the fumigator is taken off, and 
about a pipeful of ordinary smoking tobacco is put in 
and lighted in the ordinary way ; the cap is then put 
on, the ends reversed, and the smoke blown under or 
about the plants as shown. No one need be troubled 
with green-fly who possesses one of these simple ap¬ 
pliances. Another useful article is a hot-water pipe 
propagator, which we can hardly describe as a novelty 
as far as the general idea is concerned, but which, 
nevertheless, would be useful to many. It consists of a 
tank, made to fit any hot-water pipe, 15 ins. long, 
6 ins. wide, and 7 ins. deep, and in which about 1 in. 
of water is placed, with a perforated dish about 5 ins. 
deep above, in which to put the cuttings. It is made 
of zinc, with a small feeder on one side, and therefore 
is a sound, serviceable article, not so readily liable 
to get broken as similar propagators made of clay. 
--> 3I< -- 
HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
The taste for hardy plants is increasing year by year, 
and the demand for the best classes is still on the 
increase, so that we may still hope the day is not far 
distant when they will resume their old position in our 
flower gardens. They are fast becoming everybody’s 
flowers, and herein lies the whole secret of their value 
and utility ; and given a few square feet of soil, with 
sufficient exposure to light, anyone may attempt their 
cultivation with reasonable hope of success. 
With a thoroughly representative collection, we get 
a maximum return for a minimum outlay, for when 
once a collection has been got together, an annual top¬ 
dressing, forking over, and timely staking and hoeing, 
complete the routine of the most important operations 
in connection therewith. I subjoin some notes on a 
few which should be grown for cutting from, and the 
whole, without exception, are deserving of cultivation. 
They will succeed in the smallest town or country 
garden, and are quite within the reach of everyone as 
regards price. 
Anemone sylvestris. 
In this we have a species that should be grown in every 
garden where choice subjects are in request. The plant 
grows from 12 ins. to 18 ins. in height, and producing 
large pure white flowers, it will be found very useful 
for cutting purposes, being equal in appearance to 
Anemone japonica alba, but flowering in early summer 
instead of in the autumn. A rich sandy loam is what 
it delights in, and it may be increased by division in 
early spring. 
Coreopsis lanceolata (grandiflora). 
Here we have one of the best of the hardy perennial 
kinds, far exceeding in usefulness some of the annual 
sorts — good as they are—which are well known in 
gardens. The plants grow about 2 ft. high, and the 
flowers are borne in profusion, the individual blooms 
being from 2 ins. to 3 ins. across, and of a rich shade 
of satiny yellow. There is another species of Coreopsis 
closely resembling this—viz., C. auriculata, which is 
also highly desirable for planting in the herbaceous 
border, where it will be sure to make a grand show. 
Both the above kinds may readily be increased by 
division, and like most herbaceous plants, they delight 
in rich deep soil, and succeed best in a moist situation. 
Hot-Water Pipe Propagator. 
Campanula persicifolia alba fl. pl. 
This is certainly a most useful and easily grown and 
propagated perennial, attaining a height of about 2 ft., 
bearing pure white Camellia-like flowers in great 
abundance for a lengthened period, and divides readily 
at any time. 
Heuchera sanguinea. 
This is certainly one of the'finest things in a choice 
collection of hardy plants, and undoubtedly one of the 
best introductions of late years. It is perfectly hardy 
in the open on an exposed place in a dry sandy soil, 
and thrives well without any care. It forms a neat 
compact tuft of deep cordate leaves of a light green 
colour, and slightly hairy. The flower-stems are 
slender, from 12 ins. to 15 ins. in height, covered with 
bright crimson flowers, which last in good condition a 
long time. This plant strikes everyone who sees it in 
bloom as a gem of the first water, and a surprise is in 
store for those who do not know it. It may be in¬ 
creased by division to almost any extent. 
YeRONICA LONGIFLORA VAR. SUB-SESSILIS. 
An herbaceous species from Japan, surpassing in beauty 
all the hardy species at present in cultivation. It is 
not only the best of the family, but one of the finest 
perennials grown. It is distinct in habit from any 
others of the genus ; the flowers are in dense erect 
spikes 1 ft. in length, from 4 ins. to 5 ins, in circum¬ 
ference, and of a deep rich blue. It grows about 2 ft. 
in height, is perfectly hardy, and is increased by 
cuttiDgs or division. 
SfABIOSA CAUCASICA. 
This is one of the handsomest hardy perennials we 
possess, and a subject which should be grown by every¬ 
one, if only for the sake of its flowers for cutting—a 
use to which they are particularly well adapted. They 
last a long time in water, and their peculiar soft lilac- 
blue shade is always pleasing. It grows from 2 ft. to 
3 ft. high, and thrives well in ordinary garden soil. 
It is a vigorous grower, thoroughly hardy, and a very 
free bloomer. 
Banunculus aconitifolius fl. pl. 
The “Fair Maid of France” is a lovely pure white 
double flower of fine form. It flowers early in summer, 
and its average height is 2 ft. The plant has the 
merit of succeeding well in a partially shaded situation. 
Matricaria inodora fl. pl. 
This cannot be too highly recommended for cutting 
purposes, the flowers being pure white, curiously 
fimbriated and exceedingly double. It continues in 
flower the whole summer, and has beautiful Camomile¬ 
like foliage. In general appearance it resembles a 
gigantic Camomile. It strikes readily from cuttings 
in autumn.— II. J. Hamill, Forest Hill. 
-- 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
How Synonyms are multiplied. 
I am looking forward with much interest to the coming 
Vegetable Conference at Chiswick, at which I hope to 
be present. I trust at that conference something will 
be done to stop the unwarranted manufacture of so- 
called new varieties of vegetables that now goes on 
annually at an outrageous rate. I could tell you of 
some firms who employ skilled hybridisers to obtain 
for them distinct, new, and improved forms, and I 
admire the system for its honesty and praiseworthiness ; 
but there are others who do not appear to go to this 
expense. They have an easier way of doing it, as will 
be seen from what follows. 
In the seed catalogues of Messrs. W.'Atlee Burpee & 
Co., Philadelphia, P.A., for 1888 and 1889, there is a 
Potato illustrated and described as “Charles Downing.” 
The illustration represents one full-sized tuber in the 
foreground, and several rows of enormous numbers 
behind, with two individuals discussing the crop over a 
fence close by. Although no small tubers are visible, the 
crop does not appear to be particularly overdrawn, and 
that might pass, but here is the point it is difficult to 
get over. In the seed list of Messrs. Oakshott & Millard 
for the present year, the American illustration of Charles 
Downing appears in every particular under the name of 
Oakshott & Millard's “Satisfaction,” and another list, 
i.e., that of Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, prominently 
contains the same Charles Downing illustration under 
the name of “Come to Stay.” Messrs. Daniels, of 
Norwich, offer the same Potato under its original name, 
so do one or two other English seedsmen, but the cases 
cited are so glaring and so apt to mislead many buyers, 
that in my opinion it is only an act of duty to call 
attention to the matter. 
I can see no reason why the Charles Downing of 
America should not have been the Charles Downing of 
England. It would undoubtedly have saved many 
from buying a duplicate Potato, and it would certainly 
have indicated a desire to aid growers in avoiding 
synonyms, and simplify the selection of the best 
varieties of home or foreign origin.— J. Muir, Margam. 
A Useful Brussels Sprout. 
Webbs’ Matchless, of ]which I send you sample stems, 
is, in my opinion, the true type of a useful Brussels 
Sprout. It is not a “six-footer,” neither does it 
produce sprouts of coco-nut dimensions, as per many 
illustrations ; but it is of medium height, exceedingly 
compact in growth, and the stems are well clothed with 
firm sprouts, not excessively large, yet abounding in 
quality, cooked or uncooked. The samples sent are 
just as they were at the commencement of last 
November, and as they will be for several weeks to 
come. They are planted at a distance of 18 ins. apart 
each way. One plant or one row reflects the general 
character of its neighbour, and all who have seen them 
assert that they like their appearance much better than 
their own giants, while I am sure if they had them 
dished up on their table they would have still more to 
say in their favour.— J. Muir, Margam Park, S. Wales. 
[The sample received fully bears out Mr. Muir's 
encomiums. The plants are of medium height, and 
the sprouts no larger than they should be, but solid, 
and mild flavoured. —Ed.] 
