May 2, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
565 
not so imposing as any of the sorts above mentioned. 
Its native habitat is the Andes of New Grenada. 
E. Lehmanni is the most strikingly distinct of 
any as far as the corona is concerned. There is a 
figure of the species in Regel’s Gavtenflora, 1889, p. 
313, t. 1,300, f. 1. The perianth is small, with spread¬ 
ing segments, and the wide corona is divided almost 
to the base into six bifld segments with the stamens 
inserted in the sinus between the teeth or lobules. 
It was collected by the Dutch Consul, Lehmann, in 
Cauca, Columbia. The teeth or lobules of the 
corona are longer than in any other species. 
Another plant placed here by some authorities is 
described under various names, such as E. galan- 
thoides, Pancratium galanthoides, and Mathieua 
galanthoides, and has small snow-white flowers like 
a Snowdrop. It was originally described in 1853. 
E. Moorei has smaller flowers than E. grandi- 
flora, and is classed under that species by some 
botanists, as a variety. A double-flowered form 
turned up on the Continent, and was described and 
figured in the Gartenzeitnng, 1185, p. 198. 
Eight of the species and supposed natural hybrids 
given above have been figured in a recent issue of 
Tijdschrift voor Tuinbouw. 
The insect and other enemies of the Eucharis are 
not very numerous, but some of them are very 
destructive, including the Eucharis mite and its 
concomitant vegetable parasite, Saccharomyces 
gluteinis, also eel-worms (Tylenchus), and mealy 
bug. In this country the Saccharomyces has pro¬ 
bably been the most destructive, though the 
Eucharis mite most generally gets the blame for the 
mischief effected. 
- 4 *- 
Hardening §[iscellany. 
birds and flowers. 
Birds will often indulge in odd fancies, the results 
of which are not a little provoking ; for instance just 
now when the Primroses are at their best, when left 
alone we find many totally denuded of flowers. At 
first sight this would seem the result of sheer 
wantonness— just a mischievous trick, there being no 
lack of other food just now ; but they have discovered 
that the embryo seed vessels are a delicate morsel. 
It is for the. sake of these alone that the flowers are 
destroyed ; these they eat, and leave the stems and 
everything else scattered on the ground.— W.B.G. 
XL ALL VAPORIZER. 
May I ask Mr. Pettinger (p. 525) if he has tried XL 
All on Asparagus plumosus. The foreman of a large 
plant-growiDg establishment where this is 
extensively grown, told me recently that he had 
found it—although fatal to mealy bug—injurious to 
the Asparagus foliage. I can testify to its efficacy in 
destroying white fly on Tomatos.— A. Pentney. 
ANEMONE KING OF SCARLETS. 
All of the Anemones are eiither interesting or pretty, 
but that under notice is decidedly handsome. The 
bright scarlet flowers are of large size, and perfectly 
double; indeed, the number of sepals or modified 
stamens filling up the centre is enormous. Each 
bloom consists of six to ten of the original sepals, 
which are of normal size, and form a guard or outer 
protection tc the myriad of small and neatly-arranged 
central ones. Morphologically there is something 
peculiar about the way this variety has become 
double. The supernumerary segments occupy the 
centre, while a series of more or less perfect stamens 
occupy a position at the base of the petaloid ones, 
where they are hidden by the outer and true sepals. 
Independently of this -botanical peculiarity, the 
flowers of Anemone King of Scarlets are very hand¬ 
some either for garden decoration or cut flower 
purposes. They last eight or ten days in water in 
the cut state, and are strikingly handsome. We are 
reminded of the facts by the receipt of a box of 
flowers from Mr. John T. Gilbert, Anemone 
Nurseries, Dyke, Bourne, Lines., who has grown the 
variety so well for many years. 
CURIOUS FREAK OF PRIMULA OBCONICA. 
We are familiar with the forms of Primrose and 
Polyanthus known as Jack-in-the-Green, but P. 
obconica can evidently be even more outrageous. 
Two trusses of what should have been flowers were 
sent us last week by Mr. J. Brjson, nurseryman, 
Helensburgh, N.B. The_ calyx, usually large and 
bowl-shaped in the normal form, was in this instance 
cut up into narrow segments. Instead of the usual 
arrangements of corolla and stamens those organs 
had become proliferous, forming dense clusters of 
small, green and imperfect flowers. In some cases 
the stamens seemed to correspond to both corolla 
and stamens in a degenerated condition. The 
number varied, but they were either united in the 
lower half or in other cases adnate to the ovary. 
The latter was usually very small, and surmounted 
by a perfect style, or the latter was in cases more or 
less divided into several. This monstrosity turned 
up in a batch of seedlings raised by Mr. Bryson. 
The foliage was healthy and quite normal, but the 
flowers would only interest the teratologist, who 
would describe it as a case of proliferation and 
chloranthy. 
OMPHALODES VERNA. 
This is one of the prettiest plants of the Borage 
family we have, and blooming, as it does, in the 
spring of the year, it forms a conspicuous object in 
many gardens. It may be seen in flower at any time 
between the middle of March and the middle or end 
of May, according to the earliness or lateness of the 
locality. The flowers are blue with a white throat, 
and are borne on long pedicels on rather sparsely- 
flowered racemes. Brought from Southern Europe 
about the year 1633, O. verna is quite hardy in this 
country, and once it gets fairly established will throw 
out its long runners in great profusion. It may be 
easily propagated by means of these, or if desired, a 
pinch of seed may be sown in spring. The plant 
succeeds well in any ordinary garden soil, and 
makes a capital subject for naturalising in woods or 
thinly planted shubberies, where it appears to revel 
in the partial shade. At one time it used to be 
known as Cynoglossum Omphalodes, and was 
figured in the Botanical Magazine under that name. 
BERBERIS DARW1N11. 
A solitary specimen here and there of this lovely 
flowering shrub may now be seen filling one as much 
with astonishment that there are so few about as 
with admiration for its beauty. It is easy of culture, 
and differs from B. stenophylla in that it is more 
compact; and its bright shining evergreen leaves, if 
somewhat formidable to handle, always have a bright, 
fresh appearance. Its beauty is further enhanced 
in autumn when covered with its sloe-like fruit. 
Some housewives make a preserve of the fruits, 
which in taste are acid.— A. P. 
NOTHOCHL.OENA SINUATA. 
It is a great pity that this beautiful Fern should be 
so difficult to cultivate well, although many failures, 
partial or otherwise, are doubtless caused in a great 
measure by attempting to grow it in a cool house 
instead of a warm one. It may do fairly well in the 
former during the height of the summer, but as the 
heat of the sun declines it gradually becomes 
shabbier and more sickly-lookiDg until finally it gets 
near unto vanishing point. An intermediate stove 
appears to suit it best, and here, if care is taken with 
regard to watering, it will do fairly well. For 
compost a mixture of fibrous peat, sharp sand, and 
sandstone, with a few small pieces of charcoal, is the 
best to use. The drainage must be thorough, and 
the pots may be filled nearly one-third full of crocks. 
In shifting, the utmost caution is necessary to avoid 
disturbing the roots, or the plants will sustain harm. 
When potting is finished, the crown of the plant 
should be slightly elevated above the rim of the pot 
as in the case of Orchids. In whatever situation the 
plants are, all water must be kept off the fronds if 
these are to preserve their beauty for very long. 
BLOSSOM OF MR. GLADSTONE APPLE. 
There is a considerable amount of variation among 
the flowers of different varieties of Apples as far as 
colour and size are concerned. The darker-flowered 
sorts usually belong to pale-skinned ones, curiously 
enough. Those of Mr. Gladstone are notable for 
their size and colour. Some blossoms we measured 
in the orchard house of E. H. Watts, Esq., Devon- 
hurst, Chiswick, measured 2 in. across, and the 
large, clawed petals were spoon-shaped. The colour, 
even under glass, consists of large, rich rose blotches 
on the outer face of several of the petals, the rest 
being pure white. Out of doors they would, no 
doubt, be even darker, for the flowers of several 
species of Pyrus lose colour considerably when 
flowered under glass. 
MAGNOLIA SOULANGEANA. 
A fine bush of this, planted just inside the main 
entrance to Kew Gardens, has been a no-able object 
of late with its profuse array of charming flowers. 
The petals are white, tinted and suffused more or 
less deeply with purple. In this respect M. 
soulangeana resembles one of its reputed parents, 
M. obo >ata, whilst it has the large flowers of M. 
conspicua. It is supposed to be of hybrid origin, 
having resulted from a natural cross between the 
above-mentioned species—viz., M. conspicua and 
M. obovata. But there is no doubt whatever that 
it is a charming plant and one well deserving a place 
in each and every collection of early spring-flowering 
shrubs. 
FRITILLARIA MELEAGRIS. 
Of all the Fritillaries, and they are rather numerous, 
none are more really beautiful or more suitable for 
massing in beds than our British Snake's-head, F. 
Meleagris. In common with most of the other 
Fritillaries it likes a rich well-drained soil, and it 
has a great aversion to stagnant water about its 
roots. One of the prettiest beds in Kew Gardens at 
the present time is a small circular one not far from 
the main entrance which is filled with it and its 
white form, F. M. alba. The dark purple and the 
white flowers form a charming mixture, although 
the plants themselves are rather dwarfer than those 
usually met with. 
A WHITE CUCUMBER. 
A short time ago we described a variegated 
Cucumber which had turned up in the houses of 
Messrs. Walters & Renton, Goffs Oak Nurseries, 
Goffs Oak, Cheshunt. The same plant has produced 
another variegated fruit and two white cnes. A 
specimen of the latter, over a foot in length, was 
brought to our office the other day. The fruit was 
of a glossy and waxy white, with the exception of a 
small and scarcely noticeable streak of green on one 
sida near the apex. Should seedliogs from -this plant 
come true to character we shall have white as well as 
green Cucumbers. A white variety to place on the 
table would be a novelty certainly. White Marrows 
we already possess, but not so decided as this 
Cucumber. 
-- 
LAW NOTES, 
Williams v . Vavasour. 
At Clerkenwell County Court on Friday, the 17th 
ult., before Judge Meadows White, Q.C., Henry 
Williams, nurseryman, of Victoria and Paradise 
Nurseries, Upper Holloway (trading asB. S. Williams 
& Son), sued Sir William Vavasour, Bart., of 16, 
Vicarage Gate, South Kensington, to recover 
£6 10s. 3d., the price of a quantity of flower and 
vegetable seeds supplied to the defendant. 
Mr. Charles Butcher, solicitor for the Nursery and 
Seed Trade Association, was for the plaintiff, and Mr. 
Johnson, barrister, for the defendant. 
The plaintiff's case briefly was that during 1890-92 
he supplied Sir William Vavasour,who was then resid¬ 
ing at his Yorkshire estate, Hazelwood Castle, Tad- 
caster, with seeds in compliance with requirements 
signed by his head gardener, Walter Cornwall. Mr. 
Butcher contended that it was a well-recognised 
custom for head gardeners to sign such requisitions, 
liability for which was never repudiated by their 
masters. 
Walter Cornwall said he had been head gardener 
to Sir William during two separate periods. He 
first entered defendants’ services in 1887, but left in 
1890. He did so of his own accord and went to 
work for the plaintiff, whom he had known for the 
past twenty years. He had beep recommended to 
Sir William by the plaintiff. Two years after he 
was re-engaged by the defendant and remained with 
him for about two years, after which he was dis¬ 
charged on the ground that Sir William was reducing 
his establishment. Witness had always signed 
orders for garden seeds and sent plaintiff the 
orders, which formed the subject of the action, 
shortly before he left Sir William's service for the 
second time. He had then planted some of the 
seeds; the remainder would have been used all 
through the season had he remained. 
Cross-examined by Mr. Johnson:—Witness used 
to pay for the seeds which were supplied to his 
orders, and recover the money either from Sir 
William or his agent. Sir William used to issue 
printed orders, signed by himself for coal, coke, and 
