October 24, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
119 
The Flower Garden. 
Here are two acres of beds which are individually 
distinct, and yet forming a very harmonious whole. 
Two large beds, 6o ft. by 20 ft., consist of White Mar¬ 
guerites for the centre, a bold line J. Gibbon Pelargo¬ 
nium, a row of Festica glauca, and finished off with a 
band of Golden Feather (Pyrethrum) which is kept 
well pinched in. Two other beds, 40 ft. by 20 ft., are 
made up of a good assortment of Gladioli with a 
ground-work of Violas, and have presented a 
gorgeous appearance during the past few months. 
Two of the most novel and interesting beds are 
circular in form, about 18 ft. in diameter ; are filled 
with Montbretias, Lilium Kratzeri, Tigridias, Bul- 
bocodium and Lobelia cardinalis, with a ground¬ 
work of Ageratum and the pretty little dark scarlet 
Verbena " Milandres.” Two other beds of the same 
dimensions as the preceding are composed of 
Zinnia elegans and have come in for a large share of 
notice. In a border, 150 ft. long by 15 ft. wide, are 
displayed a fine lot of Gladioli Ne plus ultra and 
Violas of every shade of colour, which for the last 
three months has formed a great attraction ; very 
few people seeing it without passing complimentary 
remarks on it. Four large circular beds, 20 ft. in 
diameter, are worthy of special notice. The prin¬ 
cipal ingredients being Pelargonium Mrs. Vidler and 
Verbena Venosa, with a margin of “Yellow Boy” 
Violas, then a ring of Coleus "Taylor's Pet,” and 
finishing with a raised edging of Antennaria tomen- 
tosa. 
Four other oval-shaped beds which have been very 
striking were planted with the good old Henri 
Jacoby Pelargonium, with abroad edging of Tagetes 
pumilla. The other Pelargoniums are Pink, Olive 
Car, White-leaved May Queen, Foster’s Seedling 
var., Crystal Palace Gem, and West Brighton Gem. 
Perhaps the most pleasing and striking object in the 
hole plot is the chain border which runs round the 
avilion. It is 300 ft. long by 7 ft. in width. The 
esign is traced in Thrift (Armeria maritima), which 
is kept closely cut similar to Box ; within the tracing, 
which is 7 in. wide, are planted Lobelia Blue 
Gem, Leucophyton Brownii. The smaller beds, 
being filled in with Pelargoniums Crystal Palace 
Gem (Golden), and West Brighton Gem (Scarlet), 
have been very gay and beautiful all the sum¬ 
mer. 
Surrounding the flower garden is a border, 300 yds. 
long, of Dactylis elegantissima, with a band of Tory 
Violas in front, giving a grand finish to the whole. 
Leaving the flower garden we proceed through an 
avenue of Aloes, some of which are of good size, to 
the 
Sub-Tropical Garden. 
The centre bed, which is 24 ft. in diameter, is com¬ 
posed of a very magnificent and representative 
collection of succulents, and contains over 300 
distinct varieties, the Aloe tribe being well repre¬ 
sented by some fine specimens of Agave filifera, A. 
Taylorii, A. hystrix, A. horrida, A. ferox, A. densi- 
flora, A. Verschafellti, A. Kellockii, and others. 
There are also beautiful plants of Rochea falcata, 
Pachyphytum bracteosum, Cotyledon pulverule- 
tum, C. Peacockii, Sempervivum arboreum, S. a. 
variegatum, S. artropurpurem, S. Donckellaarii, S. 
tabulaeformis, S. calcareum, S. repens, S. Bullii, 
etc. ; Mesembyranthemum tigrinum, Haworthia 
cymbefolia, Kleinia repens, Echeveria metalica, 
E. m. glauca, E. agavoides, etc. Of Opuntias and 
Cacti, the former has fruited plentifully and some of 
the latter have flowered. They have been very attrac¬ 
tive. What a pity they—the flowers—last so short 
a time in beauty. 
Around this are some half-dozen others, filled with 
a collection of plants which when looked'upon tempt 
one to forget " Old England,” and to dream of other 
climes. 
A large bed 24 ft. by 15 ft. is composed of Cannas, 
varying in height from 2 ft. to 10 ft., with a margin 
of tuberous Begonias, which have yielded a grand 
display of bloom since June. 
Four other beds, 40 ft. by 10 ft., contain someexcel- 
lent specimens of both flowering and foliage plants. 
Of the former the Montbretias, American Tuberoses, 
Hedychium Gardnerianum, which flowered pro¬ 
fusely during August and September, Lantanas, 
Abutilon Boule de Neige, Tigridias, &c., are very 
noticeable, and of the foliage plants, Phormium 
tenax, P. Colensoi, P. purpurea, Phalangium varie¬ 
gatum, Abutilon niveum maculatum, Araucaria 
excelsa, Eucalyptus globulus, Arundinaria Metake, 
A. Fortunei, Aralia Sieboldii, Dracaena Australis 
(some of 10 ft. in height), D.Draco, Acacia lophantha, 
Cyperus laxus, Yucca aloifolia variegata, Ficus 
elastica, Eulalia zebrina, Francoa appendiculata, 
Carex Morovii, Sonchus elegantissima and Wigan- 
dias form a conspicuous part. 
Two circular beds contain fine examples of 
Chamaerops humilis, with a ground-work of Festuca 
glauca, and are very telling in effect. 
I cannot finish these notes without calling attention 
to a very interesting bed at the opposite end of the 
flower garden, namely the Alpine bed, which is filled 
with a beautiful lot of Alpine and small herbaceous 
plants, and is one of the best pieces of work in the 
whole Park, and is all the year round very interest¬ 
ing. 
The Chrysanthemum house, which is now begin¬ 
ning to look gay, will be opened the early part of 
next week. 
So far as I can see and hear there will be some 
pleasant surprises for the Leicester people in the 
spring, as there is a considerable bulb order given.— 
Wm. Bell, Leicester, Oct. loth., 1891. 
Gardening IIiscellany. 
THE SCARLET TRUMPET HONEYSUCKLE. 
This is the North American Honeysuckle—Lonicera 
sempervivens—a handsome climbing species with 
evergreen foliage and scarlet flowers, yellow on the in¬ 
side. Unfortunately it is not scented as in the case of 
our common Honeysuckle. This sgecies is propagated 
by means of cuttings, which are made from the wood 
of the previous year, placed in pots, and plunged in 
a bottom heat. They root readily, and they are 
grown on until they form nice bushy plants in pots 
for growing for cut blooms. When well established 
in pots and somewhat pot-bound, they become some¬ 
what stunted and then bloom freely. The term 
Honeysuckle has been applied to several plants, and 
though now the name given to the Woodbine, it is 
very doubtful to what plant it really belongs. The 
reason for its transference to the Woodbine appears 
to be on account of the honey-dew so plentifully 
deposited on its leaves. 
THE MILDEW OF CUCUMBERS. 
The mildew which develops itself in the form of 
..powdery, white patches upon the leaves of Cucurbita- 
ceous plants is known to fungologists as Odium erysi- 
phoides cucurbitarum. Being a surface feeder it may 
be combated with success in various ways, especially if 
taken in its early stages. Of the several fungicides 
that have been employed, ammoniacal carbonate of 
copper has been employed with better results than sul¬ 
phide of potassium. To a quart of ammonia add 3 oz. 
of carbonate of copper, and after diluting the solution 
with twenty-five gallons of water, syringe the plants 
withit. A bettermethod,ifcareisused,istoevaporate 
some sulphur in a basin over a paraffin stove for the 
space of thirty minutes. The house must be tightly 
closed, and precautions taken that the sulphur does 
not get ignited, otherwise the plants will be greatly 
injured. The lamp should be kept low to avoid 
accident. 
EOMECON CHIONANTHA. 
The name of this plant means Snow-white Poppy, 
in reference to the pure white petals which are four 
in number, and arranged in two pairs similar to 
those of a Begonia. The resemblance to a white 
Begonia is further augmented by the dense tuft of 
bright yellow stamens in the centre, and were the 
petals a little more spreading instead of cupshaped, 
the resemblance would be striking. These flowers are 
borne on naked scapes, about 18 in. high, surmount¬ 
ing the radical leaves, which are nearly orbicular, 
somewhat lobed, glaucous above and more particu¬ 
larly so underneath. In all respects they closely 
resemble those of the Bloodroot (Sanguinaria cana¬ 
densis), a native of Canada. The plant under notice 
comes from China, and flowers through September 
and October, while the Bloodroot flowers in April 
and May, or even earlier. 
EUCOMIS PALLIDIFLORA. 
The flowers of this plant are individually not very 
attractive, but the enormous number produced on a 
scape when grown in the open air attracts attention 
at this season of the year, when flowers with excep¬ 
tion of Composites are getting very scarce. The seg- 
mentsare of a pale green, and the ovaries in the centre 
are paler, but the filaments of the stamens are of a 
deeper green. The scapes are 3 ft. high, terminated 
as usual by a tuft of leaves, as implied by the generic 
name. The leaves are very long when grown in the 
open ground, lanceolate, finely crisped and toothed 
at the edge with a deeply channelled midrib, and pale 
green. The stateliness of most species of Eucomis 
commend them to many cultivators for decorative 
purposes in pots ; but the comparative hardiness of 
several of the species enables them to be grown in 
the open border in sheltered or warm positions. 
Good drainage is an important matter, and if the 
soil is moderately sandy and porous so as to permit 
of the escape of superfluous moisture, so much the 
better, as the bulbs are more likely to pass the 
winter unhurt. A clump of bulbs planted at the 
base of the rockery at Kew has been flowering finely 
for some time past. 
PHYSOSTEGIA VIRGINIANA SPECIOSA. 
In wet seasons the stems of this plant get 3 ft. or 
4 ft. in height, but ordinarily are dwarfer. The 
flowers are pale purple or partly white on the lower 
segments, and arranged in dense four ranked spikes 
which are considerably branched at the base. The 
leaves are oblong or oblanceolate, deeply serrate, and 
of a bright green. The plant finds favour with 
many collectors of herbaceous plants, and notwith¬ 
standing its height is always neat and easily kept in 
good order, which is more than can be said of many 
Labiates even of dwarfer stature. Like many other 
subjects of the same type, it repays the trouble of 
good cultivation by the preduction of a greater 
amount of flowers and a longer succession. Being 
a North American plant it is quite hardy, and is not 
particular as to soil. It is also easily propagated by 
division. 
CYCAS REVOLUTA FOR DECORATIVE 
PURPOSES. 
More often than otherwise we see a few huge speci¬ 
mens of this Cycas in conservatories, but those who 
are acquainted with the plant in this form only, can 
have no idea of the grace and elegance of small 
plants in good condition. The whole of the central 
stage of a house in the nursery of Messrs. E. D. 
Shutfleworth & Co., Ltd., at 256, Peckham Rye, 
is occupied with a recent importation of plants 
which are now established and have made crowns 
with eight to twelve, and in some cases twenty 
heads. The stems vary from 6 in. to i\ ft. in length, 
and were absolutely leafless when imported ; the 
leaves now vary from 15 in. to 3 ft. long, and show a 
certain amount of variation, inasmuch as they are 
either flat or the pinnae are elevated at an angle of 
45 0 or more with the midrib. This peculiarity has 
the effect of giving the plant an altogether different 
appearance which some would admire, while others 
would prefer the flat-leaved forms. The rich dark 
green colour of the leaves would tell very effectively 
amongst other decorative subjects in the con¬ 
servatory. 
A COLLECTION OF CROTONS. 
A wonderful amount of variety may be seen in a 
collection of over fifty sorts of Crotons in the Albert 
Nursery of Messrs. E. D. Shuttleworth & Co , 
Peckham Rye. The best of the broad-leaved sorts, 
which are favourites with gardeners for large speci¬ 
men plants, are grown in conjunction with the 
narrow-leaved varieties so useful for table decora¬ 
tion. Aigburth Gem is like a more highly-coloured 
form of Sinitzianus, and the crimson hues are well 
marked. Chelsoni has narrow, twisted, deep bronzy- 
green leaves variegated with crimson. Flamingo has 
long, narrow, green and crimson leaves gracefully 
arched and highly attractive. Flambeau is also 
beautiful in its rich markings, but the leaves are 
broader, though still only of medium size compared 
with those of Baron James Rothschild, which is a 
favourite with those who like the bold character of 
its crimson foliage. The stems of Laingi are red 
throughout their length, independently of the rich 
dark colour of the narrow leaves. A distinct sort 
also is Chomer, with long and broad leaves beauti¬ 
fully reticulated with golden-yellow. At one end of 
the house was a large batch of small plants of 
Dracaena Lindeni, notable for the fine variegation 
of the leaves, which have a broad yellow margin on 
either side of the broad central band. 
