April 9, 1892. 
the gardening world. 
4 no 
ROOT HAIRS. 
An important part of the report of the Research As¬ 
sociation for the north-eastern counties of Scotland, 
for the year i8gi, just issued by Mr. Jamieson, the 
director, to the members, is taken up with a descrip¬ 
tion of root hairs and the precise action of phos¬ 
phorus on and in plants. It was the opinion 
of some that the root hairs was a most likely place 
to look for the action of phosphorus on plants, and 
during his investigations Mr. Jamieson discovered 
luminous points or protuberances from which a 
clear light was strongly reflected. The protuberance, 
on closer investigation, was found to be the margin 
or lip of a well-defined aperture, which had hitherto 
escaped observation. 
Turning to the mineral matter, which is assimilated 
by plants, examination of the finely-divided, insoluble 
mineral matters, which are effectively applied to 
plants as manure, showed that, while a large pro¬ 
portion of the particles are too large to pass into the 
aperture of the root hair, another large proportion 
is sufficiently small to pass through the aperture. 
This is a somewhat strong confirmation of the 
doctrine that plants take up their solid food in the 
solid form through the root hair apertures, because 
in the numerous experiments that have recently been 
performed on phosphates, no point has been more 
satisfactorily proved than that the degree of effective¬ 
ness corresponds with the degree of division, for it is 
evident that, if the aperture doctrine be true, only 
such particles as can pass through the aperture (or, 
at least, as can pass along the tube with which the 
aperture communicates) will be available. 
While it is known by experiment that the 
amorphous phosphates, such as coprolite, can be 
used by the plant, the crystalline phosphate apatite 
has very little effect. This has been proved dis¬ 
tinctly by very many experiments, although hitherto 
no very satisfactory explanation was known why it 
should be so, but the inability of the angular 
particles to glide up the slippery tube may explain 
it. 
Darwin has shown that earth mould is formed 
by worms swallowing particles limited in size to the 
size of the worm’s mouth. These particles are first 
smeared by the worm with an alkaline fluid, and 
then made use of to triturate its food, and finally are 
ejected on the surface of the ground. Similiar, Mr. 
Jamieson ventures to suggest, may be the action of 
the plant root hair, namely, that potash is essential 
to provide a glutinous, slippery fluid, and that, when 
the root hair comes in contact with a particle 
sufficiently small, the particle—by gentle suction up¬ 
wards—is drawn bodily into the root hair ; so that 
solid particles, available as food, are limited as a 
rule to those less than the size of the aperture re¬ 
cognisable at the tip of the hair, and to those of such 
form that they may be sucked along without lacer¬ 
ating the tube. 
AMARYLLIS AT CHELSEA 
The annual pilgrimage to Chelsea to see the 
Amaryllis has again commenced in real earnest. The 
house devoted to them in the nursery of Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons was rendered gay with 500 to 600 
spikes of open blooms ; but altogether there are over 
2,000, so that a continuous display will be kept up 
for some time to come. The plants were potted in 
January, plunged in a bed of old spent tan, and 
allowed to come on gradually. After they had fairly 
started a little bottom heat was given. In winter the 
house was kept up to a temperature of 50°, with a 
rise to 55 0 by day, as nearly as possible. Now it is 
kept at 58° or 6o° by night, with a little bottom heat. 
The bulbs are grown in pots according to the size of 
the former. The very largest are in 7-in. pots, but 
the majority in 4-in. or 5-in. pots, which are found 
quite sufficient. Success is due to the fact that no 
watering is given until it is wanted. About six 
months in the year no water is given at all, say from 
the middle of August to the middle of February, 
yet the bulk of the roots remain quite fresh. After 
potting no water is given till they are fairly started 
into growth; then after the flowering period is over, 
they are not stood away under the benches, as is fre¬ 
quently done, but are encouraged to make as much 
growth as possible to plump up the bulbs for another 
season. The blinds are let down on the sunny side 
of the house whenever the sun comes out brightly, 
which adds materially to the duration of the bloom. 
New Varieties. 
Every year witnesses a fresh lot of seedlings come 
into bloom, so that the outlook for fresh novelties is 
always being rewarded with some improvement 
upon old types. A variety named Starlight, now 
flowering for the first time, is only two and a half 
years old from the seed, and has a small bulb with a 
scape 18 in. long carrying two flowers of great size, 
widely bell-shaped with a short tube, and of a bright 
scarlet with a greenish-white base running into six 
short rays. It is larger and a considerable improve¬ 
ment upon John Ruskin. Near it is another very 
fine sort named The Moor, carrying three widely 
bell-shaped flowers of a deep rich crimson, almost 
blackish-crimson in the throat. Thalpius is similar 
in shape to the last, but is white with a few red 
lines on the upper four segments, and greenish in 
the throat. The largest light-flowered variety that 
has yet appeared is Idomeneus, which is white and 
banded or lined with red on the three upper seg¬ 
ments, and slightly so on the three lower. A strong¬ 
growing sort is Pitho, with a stem about 2% ft. high, 
carrying four flowers. The latter are funnel-shaped, 
white, and beautifully shaded with soft pinkish-red, 
and pleasingly crisped at the margins of the seg¬ 
ments. The large and widely bell-shaped flowers of 
Simonia are of an intense crimson-red with a pale 
greenish-white six-rayed star, extending down the 
segments for two-thirds of their length. A striking 
contrast is offered by Virginal, the scape of which 
bears four flowers of medium size, very regular in 
form, and of a light orange-scarlet with a broad 
white band along the middle of each segment. 
Widely spreading and almost flattened flowers are 
generally regarded with great favour, and this desire 
should be met by Cordelia, which has bold and 
imposing flowers of a brilliant red slightly shaded 
with purple about the middle, and having six short 
greenish white rays, the lower one being the shortest. 
The Volunteer has two scapes and seven flowers of a 
brilliant crimson-scarlet and blackish-crimson in the 
throat, the rays being almost obscured. The flowers 
of Plutarch are of great size with broad segments of 
good substance, and of a deep crimson with a darker 
throat without any rays. Zephyr has widely 
campanulate and very regular flowers, with hardly 
any tube ; the segments are broad and white with 
crimson lines on five of the segments and the lower 
one shaded with pink. A beautiful bell-shaped flower is 
Verona, of a warm bright scarlet, and having a pale 
six-rayed star. Those of Cecilia are funnel-shaped 
and white, lined and suffused with red on all the 
segments, but lightly so on the three lower ones. 
Two scapes from a bulb of Acme carry in the aggre¬ 
gate seven flowers of a brilliant crimson-scarlet and 
darker in the throat. They are of medium size, just 
as are those of Amazon, neat, regular and very dark 
crimson-red, with a darker throat. 
Older Sorts. 
When the improvement of this magnificent race of 
plants was commenced, no one ever dreamt to what 
perfection it would be brought. The starting point 
of the fine types now in cultivation was Empress of 
India and Leopoldi, the former giving constitution, 
and the latter furnishing the colour. The flower is 
still considered worthy of cultivation, as its funnel- 
shaped, brilliant crimson-scarlet flowers are 
annually produced with great freedom. One of the 
finest types that has flowered more than once is 
John Ruskin, with widely bell-shaped, bright scarlet 
flowers, having a greenish white throat passing into 
six short rays. Landseer has two scapes carrying 
eight flowers of great size and scarlet-red. Another 
one with eight flowers is Star of India, of dwarf 
habit with scarlet segments. Olivette, which was 
certificated last year, has two scapes and six flowers 
of medium size and of a bright crimson-scarlet. A 
pretty and compact flower is that of Prince Albert 
Victor, with funnel-shaped flowers and broad, 
rounded, red segments of great substance. Her 
Majesty is very dwarf this year, and has funnel- 
shaped, white flowers, slightly streaked with red on 
the three upper segments. The flowers of Avondale 
are of average size and of a uniform scarlet except 
at the base ; two scapes carry, in the aggregate, 
eight flowers. Fabula is even more floriferous, for 
two scapes have five and six flowers respectively, of 
a warm, brilliant scarlet. 
A very vigorous grower is The Crusader, with a 
scape about 27 in. high, bearing four deep red 
flowers. For decorative purposes it is very useful, 
but the flowers are not up to the standard of the 
leading types grown now. Another is Coreggio, with 
funnel-shaped, dark crimson flowers, and a short 
rayed star. I he flowers of Phaedra are large, widely 
campanulate, and white, beautifully lined and netted 
with bright scarlet. 
In another house is a collection of Clivias in bloom, 
another highly improved race of plants belonging to 
the same family. Amongst those we noted was 
Acquisition, a new variety of strong habit, and bear¬ 
ing a truss of twenty-one funnel-shaped, bright 
orange scarlet flowers, with a yellowish-white throat; 
the leaves were 2 ft. to 3 ft. long. The flowers of 
Excelsior were widely funnel shaped, and of a soft, 
orange hue. On the other hand the flowers of 
Distinction are long, funnel-shaped, and clear orange, 
with a soft, yellow, and white throat; the truss was 
very large. 
-- 
FDO^ICUliTU^E. 
Pansies. 
I hear of great losses this winter amongst Pansies, 
even from our great trade growers, and I know of 
many amateurs who have suffered severely. I think 
much of this has arisen from the difficulty, owing to 
the very wet cold autumn, of getting cuttings and young 
plants early and well-rooted, and we have had a 
trying winter for them. In the midlands especially 
they have suffered, and Violas out of doors also to a 
great extent. Those who wish to replace stock 
should do so at once, and unless the plants are well- 
rooted and strong, instead of planting out at once, it 
will be advisable to plant them in a frame for two or 
three weeks protected and looked after, so as to get 
them well-rooted before planting out, and then,taking 
advantage of showery weather for doing so, lifting 
them with as much earth as possible in transplanting. 
Violas and Pansies which have been out all the win¬ 
ter should be pressed firmly into the soil and a sur¬ 
facing of good soil placed about them, and rose-pot 
waterings in the day-time when fine and sunny, and 
the plants will then soon push ahead.— W. D. 
A few of the finest newer* Violas. 
The following will be found to be great acqui¬ 
sitions :—Annie King, a rosy-lilac seif, and first 
class. Beauty, pale lavender and purplish-crimson, 
fine form. Bridesmaid (Dean’s), very pale primrose 
without any markings, extra fine. Cottage Maid, 
rich rosy-crimson with light spots, fine. Countess 
of Elgin, light peach with dark centre, extra fine. 
Countess of Wharncliffe, snow-white self, free from 
rays or blotch, close, compact habit, very fine. 
Dorothy Tennant, a richly marked flower, crimson 
and violet, very handsome. Duchess of Fife, light 
primrose, bordered with blue lilac, very distinct and 
handsome. Gips)* Queen, light lilac, with streaks of 
a deeper colour, very pretty. Golden Gem (Dean), 
a most lovely bright yellow self, entirely without any 
markings, close habit, and extra fine. H. M. Stanley, 
rich purple-crimson, with dark velvety stripes, extra 
fine and beautiful. Lady Amory, rich violet, with 
white margin to top petals, fine form and substance. 
Lillias (McLeod), white shaded with lavender, a very 
charming variety. Lord Fitzgerald, clear white, of 
good form and substance, fine. Mary Gray, white, 
striped with blue, very distinct and fine. Master of 
Arts (Dean), rich violet-purple, with bright blue 
shaded lilac blotches, distinct and exfine. Mrs. 
Frater, white striped with dark purple, distinct and 
fine. Mrs. Grant, crimson tinted purple with lighter 
margin, very fine. Neptune, rich purple, with 
whitish margin, a very fine distinct variety. 
Princess Beatrice, bright lilac, shaded with rosy- 
purple, fine and distinct. Purity (Dobbie), pure 
white without any markings, and a most pleasing 
variety. Quaker Maid, pale lavender tinted with 
rose, a very pleasing variety. Queen of Scots, best 
described as a lovely variety, resembling Countess of 
Kintore, but with more white in it. The Mearns, 
rich plum purple with white-bordered top petals, 
one of the most beautiful of all for beds. Violetta 
(Stuart’s), small flowers, white with clear yellow 
eye, very fragrant, a dwarf compact grower, and a 
little gem. William Niel, bright pale rose, very 
distinct and excellent. Wonder, pale yellow, close 
compact habit, and an excellent bedder. 
This list could be lengthened as we are now very 
rich in first-class Violas, and I mention these few 
varieties as acquisitions to any collection not yet 
containing them.— IV. D. 
