April 20, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
533 
the base of the claw. The flower-heads are large, and 
the plants in all cases very dwarf. The light was so 
deficient owing to a dense black fog which prevailed on 
the occasion of the second spring show at Regent’s 
Park that we had great difficulty in discerning what 
the colours were. All were exhibited by Mr. J. James, 
Woodside, Farnham Royal, and received Floricultural 
Certificates. 
Emperor Frederick. —The rays of this variety, as 
is now well known, are deep maroon-crimson with a 
broad limb and a tubular rose-coloured claw, which 
gives the plant its peculiar and characteristic appear¬ 
ance. A basket of plants was shown by Messrs. 
J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, at the spring show, 
Regent’s Paik, on the 10th inst., and a Floricultural 
Certificate was awarded. 
Auricula, Heatherbell (Simonite). 
It was with extreme difficulty that we could discern 
the real colours of this exhibition kind, owing to the 
miserable atmospheric conditions which enshrouded 
everything with a grim light on the 10th of this 
month, when the plant was shown by Mr. J. Douglas, 
Great Gearies, Ilford, at Regent’s Park. The variety 
is a grey-edged one, with a dark ground, a broad white 
paste and pale yellow tube. The flowers and truss 
were large, and borne on a scape about 4 ins. high. 
The foliage was mealy, but not bulky in growth. A 
Floricultural Certificate was 
awarded. 
New Amaryllis. 
Sirocco. — The flowers of 
this variety are crimson- 
scarlet, and present the 
same regular and trumpet 
shape as Terentian, which 
was certificated a short time 
ago. The plant has the 
same dwarf habit, the scape 
being about 15 ins.-high, 
carrying two large and short- 
tubed flowers of good size. 
Exhibited by Messrs. J. 
Veiteh & Sons at the second 
spring show at Regent’s 
Park, when a Floricultural 
Certificate was awarded. 
Vulcan.— A dwarf va¬ 
riety about 15 ins. high, 
bearing four flowers of an 
intense crimson, with a short 
whitish star at the base. 
The tube is short, the seg¬ 
ments broad, and the flowers 
well formed. 
Salvator rosea. — The 
scapes in this case were 18 
ins. high, bearing two 
flowers of a widely funnel or 
trumpet shape. They were 
crimson, with a six-rayed 
white star tinted with rose, 
extending for two-thirds 
along the segments. Both were exhibited by Messrs. 
Paul & Son, Cheshunt, at the last spring show of the 
Royal Botanic Society, when they received Flori¬ 
cultural Certificates. 
- ->$«*= - 
ADONIS PYRENAIOA. 
Several of the species, both annual and perennial, are 
highly ornamental, particularly the latter kinds, which 
have by far the largest-sized flowers. Their slow rate 
of increase must be held accountable for the comparative 
scarcity of all the perennial species of Adonis in gardens, 
seeing that they are perfectly hardy and thrive well in 
any moderately good garden soil. A. pyrenaica grows 
from 6 ins. to 12 ins. in height, and forms a dense tuft 
of erect branching stems, each branch of which ter¬ 
minates in a solitary flower about 3 ins. to 4 ins. in 
diameter, and of a bright golden yellow, the numerous 
petals becoming fully expanded under the influence 
of bright weather. 
The foliage is not the least ornamental part of the 
plant, as all the leaves are cut up into numerous slender 
segments. The stems appear to spring from one crown, 
which increases very slowly. Therefore, whoever under¬ 
takes its cultivation should give it moderately deep, 
rather light, but moist and rich soil, either in the 
ordinary herbaceous border or on the rockwork, where 
it should be left undisturbed for years, as it is very 
impatient of removal. It was introduced from the 
Pyrenees in 1817, and is, therefore, well adapted for 
rockwork. We are indebted to Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale 
Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, for an opportunity of 
figuring it. 
-- 
PRIMULA OBOONIOA. 
So much has already been said and written respecting 
this very floriferous member of the Primrose family, 
that it seems almost like presumption, not to say tauto¬ 
logical, to attempt to add anything new, fresh or 
interesting that has not over and over again been urged 
in favour of this half-hardy Chinese species. 
At the risk, however, of incurring displeasure or 
meriting odium, I am constrained to insist that a pan 
of seedlings in full flower, comprising various shades 
of colour from pure white to pale lilac, is a floral 
treat, which is at once gratifying to the taste and 
mollifying to the sentiments of anyone who has 
watched their progress from the tiny germ to the 
mature plant. 
On plants produced from seed in this way, the 
individual flowers are fresher and finer than those which 
are the outcome of old-established stocks ; not only so, 
but interest is keener in the case of seedlings which 
have not bloomed, as there is always a hope in the 
mind that something may result in the way of im¬ 
provement, either in the colour, the habit, or the size 
of the flowers. If only the colour of these latter 
interesting appendages could be induced to sport into 
shades of yellow, red, or blue, what an invaluable and 
much-sought-after desideratum our cool greenhouse 
subject would become ! Admirably adapted for cut 
flowers, there would be no end to the artistic effects 
produced by a combination of these with other flowers, 
long after Primroses proper had succumbed to the 
summer’s sun. 
A native of Central China, and an evergreen withal, it 
yet requires careful attention against frost and damp, 
which in our moisture-laden winter temperature is so 
provocative of harm. Avoid over- watering at this period 
as there is great tendency to decay. Out of two fine 
strong plants which were never out of flower last 
season, one has gone the rotten road, the other is in 
robust health, and contains twenty-two Polyanthus¬ 
like heads of bloom on scapes 10 ins. high, which 
constitute a floral picture no amateur need be ashamed 
of. 
I may add that the plant i3 amenable to rhe simplest 
treatment, and in the case of seedlings, light, rich, 
sandy soil and effective drainage is all that is required, 
with the usual daily routine attention to ensure 
success. 
The seedlings referred to in the former part of this 
note were sown June 9th, 1888, germinated June 30th, 
and the first perfect bloom developed March 30th of the 
present year. The accommodation they have received 
is a cool shelf in an unheated greenhouse, from which 
frost has been barely excluded during the winter.— 
C. B. G., Acton, JF 
-- 
EASTER FLOWERS. 
If one were to make an examination of the various 
metropolitan markets, as well as the numerous florists’ 
shops of good standing, the amount of conservatism in 
the matter of flowers amongst market growers becomes 
more and more evident. The number of different kinds 
grown by them is comparatively few, and so closely do 
they confine themselves to certain classes of plants of 
recognised value and popularity that the shops would 
seem to have been supplied from one or a few estab¬ 
lishments mostly confined to the culture of certain 
specialties ; and an order for flowers of any particular 
colour, given in different quarters of the metropolis, 
would almost to a certainty be made up of much the 
same kinds of bloom. 
White Flowers. 
There are flowers that appear in the market at almost 
any period of the year, such as Eucharis, Lilium longi- 
florurn Harrisii, and white Roses, such as Niphetos. 
Many are more particularly confined to the winter 
months, but at the same time seem capable of encircling 
the whole year, as in the case of Gardenias, Gladiolus 
Colvillii (The Bride), white 
Camellias, white Azaleas, 
varieties of A. indica, white 
Bouvardias, the common 
white Lily (Lilium ean- 
didum), and Astilbe japonica. 
Of those that may be con¬ 
sidered special to the spring 
season, are the huge white 
Pottebakker Tulips, white 
Hyacinths, Lily of the Val¬ 
ley, and the beautiful hardy 
double white Primrose, some¬ 
times to be seen in large 
quantities, and very pure 
and sweet they are. Freesia 
refracta alba owes its popu¬ 
larity in a large measure, no 
doubt, to the market growers; 
but what seems more sur¬ 
prising, are the quantities 
of the Garlic-smelling Allium 
neapolitanum to be seen 
amongst sweeter - smelling 
kinds, such as Narcissus 
poeticus ornatus, white 
Intermediate Stocks, and 
others. Other white sub¬ 
jects that must not be over¬ 
looked, are Pelargoniums of 
the Venus type, which are 
easily forced, white Mar¬ 
guerites, white Lilac, and 
Hydrangea paniculata. The 
flowers of the latter are 
not of the purest white when 
they have been forced, nor so large. The popular 
Richardia africana is nearly always present. 
Coloured Flowers. 
There is always a considerable number of coloured 
flowers, but, as a rule, the hardy kinds are represented 
in the greatest quantity. Amongst these, Hyacinths 
in various colours bulk largely at present, as well as 
double Violets, yellow Primroses, Wallflowers, Tulips, 
double scarlet Ranunculus, and Narcissi of many kinds, 
including the Lent Lily, or Wild English Daffodil. 
The Poet’s Narcissus, as already mentioned, figures 
largely, together with Narcissus incomparabilis, N. 
Tazetta in various colours, and Daffodils in variety. 
That known as Empress, with white segments and a 
yellow crown, presents a magnificent appearance 
amongst others of smaller size. Anemone coronaria 
may be had in various colours for weeks or months 
together, while Carnation Miss Joliffe, and Roses in 
various colours, may be had in bloom at any season. 
Amaryllis is but sparingly represented, and may be 
almost considered a casual. 
Pot plants of many of the above are plentiful enough, 
as well as Cyclamens, Mignonette, Chrysanthemum 
frutescens, Roses, including the Fairy Rose, Azalea 
Deutsche Perle, together with red kinds, and the 
orange-tinted A. mollis. The common pink-flowered 
Hydrangea is already in fine condition as well as the 
Lilies above mentioned. Small Heaths are also well 
VW 
Adonis pyrenaica. 
