766 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 1, 1896. 
ever, is true time all the world over. The Sow¬ 
thistle opens at five a.m. and closes at eleven to 
twelve a.m. The White Lily opens at seven a.m. 
and closes at five p.m. In the town few people 
know about such details as these; nor are the 
flower clocks often seen anywhere, though they have 
been constructed occasionally.— Vegetarian. 
- - 
EXHIBITION CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
The time has now arrived to consider the selection 
of the buds. It may to the novice seem a long way 
off from the middle of November, which is about the 
time the majority of the shows are held. Twelve 
weeks or more may appear more than sufficient to 
build up a flower, but from experience many of the 
Japs will take that or even longer, and the incurved 
and reflexed section nearly as much. Before pro¬ 
ceeding it may be well to take a brief glance of the 
plants, and the 
LIKELY RESULTS 
that may follow. We have both north and south 
experienced a most trying season ; even the west of 
England has suffered to a very grave extent, but not 
as much as the east and south. Chyrsanthemums are 
no exception in the vegetable world, and the hot, 
dry weather appears to have reduced both the 
height and strength of the plants. Those of our 
friends who potted early will, generally speaking, be 
the possessors of the finest plants ; that means not 
only the tallest and strongest, but the back foliage 
will have been retained in a greater abundance, and 
of a stronger habit. A good lot of plants should 
have the foliage pretty well down to the pot ; and 
tha-t is more likely to be secured if the weather was 
cool and moist when the final potting was done. To 
counteract this hot scorching temperature, the 
advice on syringing should be fully followed out. 
We can judge the effects of a good drenching to the 
languid plants after a hot day, by onr own feelings 
after a liberal use of cool and refreshing water. 
Another feature of this season’s growth appears to 
be the frequency of the plants to show bud; the 
result of this is two things (i) it upsets the judgment 
as to “ timing the bud," and (2) reduces the strength 
of the plant. It will be readily understood that if a 
plant shows a bud at every 8 in. to 10 in., the vitality 
cr strength must be greatly impaired. By this, it is 
not meant that smaller or less likely flowers will 
result ; but that may be a possibility; good solid 
wocded plants if “ timed " right must produce fine 
flowers ; small solid wood may give good results, but 
most growers prefer the " timber ” to be fairly strong 
and the foliage large and leathery. 
Selecting the Buds. 
This is a detail that is best gained by experience 
and it would therefore, be well for the grower to 
make a note on the label when the bud was taken. 
Taking notes has already been recommended, and 
this should especially be done in the matter of bud 
selection. It has already been mentioned how the 
atmosphere frustrates the intentions of the grower ; 
but still with experience recorded he will be in a 
better position to combat the difficulties that crop 
up in a season like the present. There seems a 
slight disposition on the part of many growers to 
endeavour to secure the buds a little earlier than 
a few years ago, that is, generally speaking ; there 
are a few exceptions, for instance, the old 
Boule d’Or, and Yellow Dragon were varieties that 
were often taken in July, and produced fine flowers. 
Early varieties such as Bouquet de Dame may al¬ 
ready be taken, but these of course will be too early for 
the principal exhibitions. As a rule buds should be 
secured a little earlier in the north and north-west 
than in the south, the reason for this being that 
the former localities get less light and sun- power, 
and the nights of early autumn give far heavier 
dews, which retard to some extent the swelling and 
maturity of the buds. The dates here given should 
be considered as the earliest that the buds are 
likely to produce satisfactory blooms, and possibly 
a day or two earlier may be accepted for Scotland 
and the north. The first of the Japs may be taken 
at once, which include varieties such as Mrs. F. 
Jameson, Mons. Pankoucke, Eva Knowles, &c. 
About the 10th Duke of York, G. C. Schwabe, 
Dorothy Shea, &c., will be ready. The dates given 
are the earliest, and any time between that and ten 
days after will suffice. All the Japs should be 
secured by August 25th. The first of the incurved 
and reflexed sections may be taken about the 8th or 
10th of August, and include J. Agate, Charles H. 
Curtis, Princess of Wales and family, Princess of 
Teck and family, and similar varieties; and about 
August 20th, the Queen and Empress family, M. R. 
Bahuant, Owen’s Crimson. Most of the reflexed 
may be taken between these dates named ; all in¬ 
curves and reflexed should be secured by Sept. 7th. 
In the case of new varieties no information can be 
giveD, but the type of the plant can be watched ; for 
instance, Henry Jacotot fils, and Emily Silsburg 
are remarkably short in growth, and are now show¬ 
ing flower ; these will be rubbed off, and the next 
bud taken which may be expected in about four¬ 
teen days. Edith Tabor appears to be of an 
opposite type of growth not having shown a bud 
since grafting. In this case the first bud will be 
taken, for if not, judging from the style of growth 
the next would be too late. 
All buds should be selected as soon as they show, 
that is unless they are a day or two before their 
time, when if the growth or surrounding buds are 
left a day or two, they will be the means of checking 
and retarding the bud selected, and, therefore, of 
bringing it to proper date. The finger is perhaps 
the best to use for rubbing off buds or shoots, and if 
the centre bud by any means gets injured or 
deformed the next most promising must be retained. 
All shoots and suckers must be removed immedi¬ 
ately they show themselves, so that the full strength 
of the plant may go into the flower bud. Tying must 
be carefully watched ; the shoots appear to be more 
brittle just previous to showing the flower bud than 
at any other season. Allow plenty of room for the 
shoot to bend, and the strings that support the 
stakes should also have plenty of latitude. This will 
be found preferable to tying each growth tightly 
within a couple of inches of the point ; if this is done 
it will be found that a very light wind will be 
strong enough to break the tender growths, 
immediately against the tie.—W. 
-- 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Home Grown Tulips, 
Original Little Book of Irish Grown Tulips. 
By Wm. Baylor Hartland, Ard-cairn, Cork. 
Price 6d. 
This pamphlet, if we may term it such, runs to 
thirty-two pages, and contains a great deal of 
information of various kinds concerning Tulips, of 
which 127 types are described. All are meant for 
bedding purposes, so that the list includes a large 
number of distinct species, garden forms whose 
origin is practically unknown, the best of those 
varieties of T. gesneriana usually employed for bed¬ 
ding purposes, as well as others “ quaint and olden,’’ 
which Mr. Hartland, through long years of assiduity, 
has rescued from oblivion in old and neglected or for¬ 
gotten gardens. This labour of love has been 
carried on with the same zeal, which Mr. Hartland 
evinces for the popular Daffodils which he has 
collected in the same way. Those who visited some 
of the principal spring shows held in Ireland last 
spriDg, particularly at Cork, well know what 
numerous rare and fine Tulips Mr. Hartland has 
been able to get together. Tulips and Narcissi can 
be grown almost as well in this country as in 
Holland, at least, in the southern counties of Eng¬ 
land and in Ireland. It ODly wants an enthusiast 
to show what can can be done with these charmiDg, 
old-fashioned and hardy flowers. 
Many of the Tulips given in this list are Irish 
garden sorts, which had no names, as was the case 
with equally fine Daffodils now getting common. 
We need only mention a few sorts to indicate the 
rich and rare character of the list. Batalini is a 
dwarf yellow ; Didieri alba, silvery-white ; Didieri 
jutescens, pale satiny-yellow; Billietiana undulali- 
folia, bright yellow, and a wild form from Savoy 
Billietiana Sunset, -Sunray and Golden Crown, all of 
which are but little known in gardens. Several 
varieties of the green Tulip and the Parrot varieties 
also receive due attention, and will in the near 
future become very common for spring beddiDg. 
Several histories and accounts of Tulips by different 
writers are included in the pamphlet. 
Strawberry Culture. 
Strawberry Culture : A Complete Guide to the 
Propagation and Culture of Strawberries, either 
for Pleasure or Profit, under Glass or in the 
Open Air. Price 2d. Post free 3d. Published 
by Geo. Tucker, at the offices of “ Fruit-grower, 
Fruiterer, Florist, and Market Gardener,” 1, 2, 
and 3, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street, London. 
This publication extends to thirty-one pages, and 
deals with various phrases of Strawberry culturei 
such as the preparation of the soil, garden and field 
culture, commercial fertilisers, the best varieties, 
packing for market, propagation, forcing, insect 
pests, &c. Deep trenching is advocated, to properly 
aerate the soil before planting and surface stirring 
afterwards. The pamphlet advises its readers, in the 
case of field culture, to plant Strawberries in beds 
sufficiently narrow to facilitate hoeing and weeding 
to be performed without treading on the ground. 
Mulching, feeding, and propagation are also 
mentioned, and all these heads are grouped in a 
chapter upon garden culture in fields. The writer 
thinks that these suggestions will almost take the 
breath of the Strawerry farmer away, but we think 
there is little danger of that. The writer also states 
that artificial manures are preferable, and more 
economical than farmyard manures. 
- --*-T-- 
ORCHID NOTES & GLEANINGS. 
By The Editor. 
Cypripedium Ashburtoniae expansum Cook- 
son’s var.—The special feature of this variety is 
its large, flat, dorsal sepal, the lower portion of which 
is of a pale Apple-green, closely lined with dark 
crimson-purple veins ; the centra! portion is also 
beautifully spotted along the course of the veins, and 
the apical portion is white, with this colour extend¬ 
ing along the sides. The petals are reddish-brown, 
with darker veins on the upper longitudinal half, 
which is glossy. The lip is brownish-purple of a 
moderate degree of intensity. The original C. Ash¬ 
burtoniae was the result of a cross between C. 
barbatum and C. insigne, the characters of w-hich 
are recognisable in the progeny. The variety C. A. 
expansum was raised by Mr. Fraser, of Derncleugh, 
Aberdeen, from the same cross as the original ; but 
he succeeded in getting a much finer thing. The 
sub-variety under notice flowered recently in the 
collection of T. McMeekin, Esq., Falkland Park, 
South Nonvood Hill, under the care of Mr. Wright. 
Varieties of Cypripedium insigne monta- 
num.—Amongst recent importations of an old intro¬ 
duction none have given more surprise to cultivators 
than those of the mountain variety (generally known 
as the montanum variety in gardens) of C. insigne. 
The name, however, applies not only to a single 
plant but really to a wild strain of the species 
imported from a more upland district than that 
where the type grows. A considerable number of plants 
have already had special names given to them. A 
double plate in a recent issue of the Lhidenia, PI. 110- 
iii, represents eight of these varieties. That 
named Excellens has very numerous dark brown 
spots and a few violet ones just where the yellow 
ground gives place to the white apex. Moortebee- 
kiense has much paler spots, but is otherwise similar 
to the last. Latimaculatum has a large brownish- 
crimson blotches, and is very distinct. Rubidum 
has numerous, large purplish-brovm blotches, with 
dark violet blotches at the base of the white and is 
very distinct and handsome. Lindeniae comes into 
the same group as the original Sanderae, from which 
it differs in having a few very faint brown and faint 
violet blotches on the dorsal sepal. One of the finest 
of all the varieties is Miniatum, with numerous, 
large, red blotches on the greenish- yellow ground of 
the dorsal sepal. Lucidum has the blotches some¬ 
what diffused and paler wdth a few violet blotches on 
the white apex. Albo-marginatum is characterised 
by having broad white margins, extending almost to 
the base ; the blotches are small but well defined and 
beautiful. The eight varieties thus brought together 
form a handsome picture, with a plant as a back 
ground to the flowers. The montanum type has 
been a gold mine for beautiful varieties for some 
time past. 
Cattleya granulosa schofieldiana. — The first 
importation of this beautiful Cattleya was an 
importation from Brazil, and the first plant of it that 
bloomed was in the collection of Mr. G. W. Law- 
Schofield, at New Hall-Hey, Rawtenstall, near 
Manchester. The flowers were of great size, with 
spreading tawny-yellow sepals and petals, heavily 
spotted with crimson-purple. A beautiful and 
distinct sub-variety of it has flow-ered in the collection 
of Mr. P. McArthur, 4, Maida Vale, W. The 
flowers are of huge size, and the stems bearing them 
