March 19, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
4.53 
Hybrid Greenhouse Rhododendrons. 
Where a collection of these is kept in a house with 
an intermediate temperature there are always some 
of them in bloom. The undermentioned include 
only some of the best and showiest in llower at the 
present time. A large plant of Triumphans has 
been flowering grandly for some time past. The 
flowers are of a brilliant crimson-red, of large size 
and borne in large trusses. Those of Minerva are 
also of large size, but of a soft yellow with a crimson 
style and stamens. Princess Beatrice has pale 
salmon flowers with a rosy tint in the the throat, and 
crimson style and stamens. Both the trusses and 
flowers are large. A seedling has just bloomed with 
large yellow flowers and salmon-coloured stamens 
and style, red at the tips, but it is too close to 
Yellow Perfection to be worthy of a special name. 
The double white flowers of Balsamaeflorum album 
last three times as long as those of the single 
flowered sorts. Young plants of the rose-flowered 
Taylori only about 5 in. or 6in. in height bear large 
trusses of bloom. The 
blush-white flowers of 
Princess Alexandra are 
moderate in size, but very 
freely produced. Those of 
Lord Wolseley are of a 
salmony-orange and of 
large size. The old R. 
jasminiflorum, with its 
long tubed white flowers, 
is still a useful old-fash¬ 
ioned species. 
The Clivias have com¬ 
menced flowering and will 
soon be quite a display 
in themselves. The cool 
conservatory is gay with 
a host of spring flowering 
subjects, such as Hya¬ 
cinths, Tulips, Lilacs, 
Heaths, Polyanthus Nar¬ 
cissus, Rhododrendrons, 
including many floriferous 
plants of Early Gem, also 
Azaleas, Astilbes, Diely¬ 
tra, the double blossomed 
Ghinese Cherry, Choisya 
ternata, Ornithogalum 
aureum, and many others. 
In another house is a most 
attractive lot of Boronia 
megastigma which scents 
the whole house with its 
fragrant blossoms. The 
plants are in 48-size pots, 
and form neat bushy speci¬ 
mens. The house devoted 
to Carnations contains a 
number of kinds in flower, 
conspicuous amongst 
which is Winter Cheer, a 
bright scarlet free-flower¬ 
ing kind that keeps on all 
the winter and spring ; 
Irma with pink flowers, 
finely flaked with rose; 
Madame Arthur Wa- 
rocque or the scarlet Mal- 
maison; and several others 
are still in bloom.— F. 
-- 
CROCUS BIFLORUS. 
In a wild state this enjoys a wider distribution than 
any other species of Crocus, and varies more in size 
and colour than any other species in its native 
habitats, which extend from Tuscany to Georgia. 
The garden forms are also somewhat numerous, 
although less so than those of C. vernus, which is 
more popular for general garden decoration on ac¬ 
count of the size of the flowers. The typical form 
of C. biflorus has white flowers, the outer segments 
of which are generally grey on the external face; 
beautifully striated and slightly feathered with pur¬ 
ple. The internal face of all the six segments is 
white; the style or stigmas are scarlet, and the 
stamens yellow. The species is frequently designated 
the Scotch Crocus, and although not so common in 
Scotland as it was at one time, yet it does very well 
there. The segments in some varieties are of a pale 
lavender hue ; and some of the wild forms are very 
diminutive in the size of their flowers, and vary 
through several light shades to a pure white. 
The China Fringe Tree: Chionanthus retusus. 
Akebia quinata is a pretty twining plant with 
palmately divided leaves and small purplish highly 
fragrant flowers. It is a very effective wall plant, 
and though not perfectly hardy in the northern 
portions of these Isles is yet rarely injured through¬ 
out England generally. A light warm soil suits it 
well. 
Aloysia citriodora (Sweet-scented Verbena), 
though usually grown as a pot plant, is yet peculiarly 
suitable for using as a wall shrub, and in which 
position, in most parts of England, it succeeds 
admirably. With the grey green and agreeably 
scented leaves and whitish or lilac panicled flowers 
most persons are familiar. 
Amelanchier canadensis (Juneberry).—In April 
this is one of the most distinct and showy of orna¬ 
mental flowering shrubs, or rather small growing 
trees. The flowers are of the purest w'hite, and pro¬ 
duced in such abundance as almost to hide the 
branches from view, while they are of good substance 
The China Fringe 
Tree. — The botanical 
name of this plant is 
Chionanthus retusus, and 
the generic name comes 
from two Greek words 
signifying snow and 
flower, in reference to the 
snow-white flowers. The 
plant is a low shrub, a 
native of China and Japan, 
from v'hence it was in¬ 
troduced to this country- 
in 1S50. It flowers in May, 
and the blooms are pro¬ 
duced in cymes terminat¬ 
ing the shoots. Just before 
expansion they resemble the flowers of a Snowdrop, 
but when in full bloom they are erect with deeply 
four-parted corollas, the segments of which are 
narrow as in the Flowering Ash (Eraxinus Ornus), 
and both are members of the Olive family. C. 
retusus has been grown in the open air in this 
country and proved to be hardy. The flowers are 
sweet scented.— J. F. 
-t-- 
ACACIA DRUMMONDI. 
Several of the Acacias are of great ornamental 
value during the winter and spring months, but few 
if any are of more value for this purpose than A. 
Drummondi. The leaves are bipinnate, with two pairs 
of pinnae of a rich dark green colour, which ser\es 
to set off the delicate beauty of the long, drooping 
spikes of the clear yellow flowers. The plant is of 
a dwarf, bushy, and branching habit, and therefore 
very suitable for greenhouses of small dimensions 
where space is a serious consideration. During the 
summer time, the Acacia may be stood out of doors, 
which will enable it to ripen its wood properly. 
TREES AND SHRUBS. 
Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs. 
ffiscuLus (Horse-Chestnut).—With the common 
Horse-Chestnut (JE. Hippocastanum) most persons 
are familiar, it being not only one of the handsomest 
of our park and woodland trees, but undoubtedly 
the most ornamental from a floral point of view. 
zE. rubicunda (Scarlet-flowered Horse-Chestnut) 
is of smaller growth than the latter, with a nicely 
rounded head, and produces agreat wealth of showy 
scarlet flowers. For confined spaces or where 
ground is limited it is one of the most useful hardy 
tree that have yet found their way to this country. 
Ailanthus glandulosa (Tree of Heaven).— A 
handsome, low-growing tree, with large pinnate 
leaves, and terminal panicles of flowers. For the 
town garden or planting by the seaside, it is a most 
useful acquisition, while being of free growth and 
easily suited with soil few situatio ns come amiss 
to it. 
and last for a long time. There are numerous forms 
or varieties in cultivation, while the European so- 
called species, A. vulgaris, is not sufficiently distinct 
from the American plant to deserve particular notice 
at our hands. 
Amorpha fruticosa (Bastard Indigo), with its 
pretty purple flowers and elegant divided leaves, is an 
extremely interesting decorative shrub. It succeeds 
well almost anywhere, and being perfectly hardy and 
of free growth is a desirable acquisition to any lawn 
or shrubbery. 
Amygdalus (Almond).—Of this handsomest of the 
early flowering trees there are several forms, the 
best known and most widely cultivated being A. 
communis amara (the Bitter Almond) with small 
pale pinky plentifully produced flowers. A. nana 
(the dwarf Almond) is a neat and highly ornamental 
shrub that in early spring is usually smothered in 
flowers. The Almonds are of easy growth, doing 
well in any fairly rich garden soil, while as to flower¬ 
ing qualities they have 
certainly few if any rivals. 
Andromeda.—A widely 
diffused genus containing 
some of the most showy 
and ornamental of hardy 
peat-loving shrubs. 
A. Floribunda (Lily 
of the Valley Tree) is at 
present one of the hand¬ 
somest of shrubs, every 
twig being tipped with 
numbers of the pure white 
Lily of the Valley like 
flowers. Being perfectly 
hardy and of neat growth 
it is at once one of the 
choicest subjects for the 
border or shrubbery. 
There are several other 
species, including our 
native A. polifolia with 
pretty pinkywhite flowers; 
A. tetragona, a small 
growing shrub with white 
flowers; A. calyculata, 
of medium growth and 
remarkable for the great 
wealth of white bell-shap¬ 
ed flowers that it produces 
in spring; and A. Mariana, 
another distinct and desir¬ 
able species. — A. B. IV. 
