October 12, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
91 
of our winters ; but the method of preserving it, or any 
of its fine varieties, is simple and inexpensive. When 
lifted in autumn, the branches may be severely fore¬ 
shortened, so that little space is occupied by them. 
The longer roots may be shortened to get them into 
pots of suitable size, and after being watered with a 
rosed watering-pot, the plants may be located in a 
heated pit or intermediate house, at least for a time, to 
stimulate the roots to fresh growth. Buds will again 
break forth in spring, and after a little hardening, the 
shrubs may be planted out in good garden soil at 
bedding-out time. The result will be a bed or clump 
producing a profusion of flowers altogether distinct in 
character from Pelargoniums, and both beautiful and 
interesting. The variety above mentioned produces a 
great quantity of blue flowers in narrow panicles, and it 
may be seen in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, at Chiswick. 
Earthing up Cslery with Flue Dust. 
Our soil is naturally of so strong a texture that we 
often cast about for something better to use as an 
earthing up medium, such as straw linings rotted, 
srwdust, &e. The latter was useful enough, but the 
following year fungus covered the ground, and lime, 
although pretty good, soon lost its virtue. One day, 
however, in the 3 'ear 1885, a capital substitute turned 
up accidentally in the form of four laden carts from the 
works, and which awaited my return from dinner. Said 
one of the carters, “Master wants to know if you can 
do anything with this stuff, for we be about vast with 
un.” After carefully uncovering the stuff a gust of 
wind catching it broadside on momentarily blinded me, 
and I was on the point of remarking that it had 
better go back. But a happy thought struck me—the 
Celery ! We gave it a trial, and ever since, flue dust, 
for such it was, has yearly been used with astonishing 
results, the sticks turning out clean, crisp, and free from 
a single mark or bite of underground vermin. The 
porous nature of the linings, even in the most wet 
weather, is such that water passes through readily, 
rendering the stems moderately dry. To those with 
heavy soils, and where procurable, I can confidently 
recommend it for the purpose. Fortunately for our¬ 
selves, it only awaits our convenience, as the flues 
around the boilers are cleaned out monthly, yielding 
four tons.— B. L. L. II. 
Agapanthus Mooreanus. 
The utility of Agapanthus umbellatus as a pot plant 
for standing on balconies, door-steps, and similar places 
is well known, and by comparing A. Mooreanus to a 
dwarf form of the former a good idea of the plant will 
be obtained. The leaves are narrower and shorter, 
while the flower stems are also dwarfer, but rise well 
above the foliage, bearing an umbel of numerous pale 
blue flowers, with a broad darker blue band running 
down each segment. It will be much more convenient 
for ordinary pot work than the older and better-known 
plant, although the latter will hold its own as a showy 
kind for balconies and garden terraces during summer. 
A plant of A. Mooreanus L now flowering in the 
rockery at Kew. 
Blackberries. 
If the present move continues we may expect to see 
Blackberries as a regular commodity in the London 
markets for the future, instead of being a rather inter¬ 
mittent and uncertain one as in the past. Hitherto 
the markets have hal to depend upon their supplies 
from what could be collected on commons and hedge- 
banks at some distance from the metropolis. Now 
Blackberries in variety are being planted along the 
sides of hedges, ditches and other boundaries to the 
fields and orchards in Kent. The idea of occupying 
the otherwise waste ground in this manner is a good 
one, end as the growers improve their fruits so they 
will, no doubt, improve their market by creating a 
regular demand for another of our native fruits which 
has hitherto been greatly neglected. Blackberries come 
into season when all other bush fruits have been 
finished for some time, and will serve to prolong the 
fruit season till severe frost destroys them. 
Melica ciliata. 
Most of the ornamental grasses grown for the sake of 
cuo Hovers, with the exception of Arundo conspicua 
and Gynerium argenteum, are annuals. Both of our 
native species of Melica are perennials, and so is that 
under notice. It forms a dense tufty bush about 18 
ins. in height, terminated by numerous spike-like 
panicles of its pale whitish or straw-coloured flowers. 
They are all directed to one side of the stem, somewhat 
after the same fashion as those of Lamirckia aurea, and 
both belong to the same family of grasses. These 
flowers are, like those of all other grasses, of no im¬ 
portance individually, but when aggregated together 
are capable of producing a fine effect. In the case of 
M. ciliata, they are notable for the length of time they 
remain in good condition, even when left on the stems. 
They are in perfection about August, and keep on 
until autumn ; but if desired for mixing with other 
dried grasses or everlastings, the flower spikes should 
be cut when at their best, hung up, and dried in a cool 
airy place. The grass itself is by no means common, 
but may be seen in the herbaceous border in the 
gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, at Chiswick. 
The Leeds Paxton Sosiety. 
I note with pleasure, at p. 52, that our brethren in 
Leeds have determined to take up the work of the 
defunct Chrysanthemum Society with spirit and energy. 
The general public in the most important of the West 
Riding towns do not seem to appreciate the shows that 
are provided for them after the first few years. The 
exhibitions have to compete with concerts, lectures, 
and other means of entertainment, all of which appear 
to be more popular than the Chrysanthemum, shows 
after a season or two, and for lack of constant support, 
many of the societies have had to give up. As to 
Paxton societies taking the responsibility of holding 
Chrysanthemum shows, I would point out that experi¬ 
ence has proved they must either take the entire 
control or have nothing to do with them, so that 
financial responsibility may be in no way divided. 
The Chrysanthemum Society in this town was origi¬ 
nated by members of the Paxton Society, and I am 
sorry to say that an element of rivalry and discord 
soon sprang up between both bodies, which had a 
weakening effect on both. I hope our Leeds friends 
will bear this in mind, for I should be glad to see their 
efforts crowned with success. — B. Loekwool, lion. Sec. 
Huddersfield Paxton Society. 
Privat Berries. 
Every autumn about this time a considerable quantity 
of the fruit of the Common Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) 
finds its way into the London markets along with gaily 
coloured autumn tinted foliage, such as that of fading 
Miples, the young leaves of Hornbeam which assume a 
reddish hue by reason of the low temperature, the wild 
Ivy grown in dry places, the Mahonia which always 
assumes a bright red hue in autumn, and retains it 
during the winter when not too much sheltered by 
other bushes, and several others. When made up in 
bouquets or arranged in vases, the panicles of jet black 
berries of Privet contrast beautifully with the gayer 
tinted foliage. If used alone they would lose much of 
their value on account of the absence of good foliage 
which drops more or less from the common Privet at 
this season of the year, besides which, the individual 
leaves are small and not particularly ornamental. 
Anthurium Leodense. 
This garden hybrid combines in itself the qualities of 
a flowering and a foliage plant. It is a hybrid between 
Anthurium Andreanum and A. Veitchii, having the 
flowers of the former and the foliage of the latter. The 
leaves are at present about 3 ft. long and similar in 
shape to those of A. Veitchii, except that they are 
broader at the base, while they are smoother—that 
is, less corrugated or wrinkled. The spathe is of 
a most brilliant, glossy red, and slightly rugose or 
wrinkled, but less so than that of A. Andreanum ; 
heart-shaped, and suddenly narrowed to a point, and 
measuring 8 -J ins. long by 6 ins. broad. The spadix is 
erect, very stout, 5 ins. long, yellow, and gradually 
becoming white as the little flowers reach perfection. 
By these characters it will be recognised as a fine thing, 
and the foliage may yet be finer. A large specimen 
was exhibited at the last meeting of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., 
and received a First Class Certificate. 
A New Late Pea. 
To get good usable Peas in October is a matter of no 
small importance, but when this can be done without 
sowing them late is even more notable. Gardeners 
well know that when late sowings have to be made, a 
great deal of extra labour in mulching and watering has 
to be expended to get them thoroughly established and 
beyond the reach of drought in dry warm summers, 
otherwise failure is certain. Veitch’s Perfection is 
widely known as a late Pea ; but we noticed a sowing 
of it the other day that had been made on the 21 st of 
May along with a new unnamed seedling raised by Mr. 
Taylor, gardener to Sir John Lubbock, Bart, M.P., 
High Elms, Farnborough, Kent. Veitch’s Perfection 
bore a crop, and the stems and leaves are now completely 
withered and brownish. Tne new seedling in question 
is as fresh as ever, and bears a crop of pods still fit for 
use in a green state, while many of them are only half 
filled. Of course, they can be had in a usable state 
until frost completely puts a stop to growth, by sowing 
later ; but their naturally late habit is well demon¬ 
strated in comparison with the excellent late Pea above 
noted. The habit and the dark green colour of the 
foliage of the seedling, similar to those of Veitch’s 
Perfection. 
Bsgonias from ths Open Ground. 
"VVe received the other day a box of tuberous Begonia 
blooms from Mr. RobertOwen, The Floral Nursery, Castle 
Hill, Maidenhead. His plants had only been injured 
in a few places by the recent frosts, and those sent us 
were as bright and fresh as if they had been culled from 
plants under glass. There was nothing novel in the 
way of colour, saving perhaps a variegated variety of a 
pinkish white shade which was variously streaked and 
splashed with carmine-rose towards the tips of the 
outer flowers especially. All of them were of respectable 
size, while some cheerful, self rose-coloured kiuds were 
above the average size for plants grown in the open 
ground, and measured from 5 ins. to 5£ ins. in diameter. 
Some of the scarlet and crimson kinds were, however, 
much better in shape, especially a bright scarlet variety 
that was almost perfectly orbicular in outline, and of 
great substance, being quite fleshy or succulent near 
the base. Another deep rosy carmine sort had the 
sepals so broad as to make the flower somewhat concave 
or basin shaped. A bright yellow variety measured 
3J ins. and a white one 31- ins. in diameter. There 
was also a deep pink one of good outline, and all were 
of good substance. 
Rhododendron, Aspasia. 
The flowers of this new hybrid greenhouse Rhodo¬ 
dendron are funnel-shaped, and of a large size, with a 
moderately long tube, and a recurved limb. The 
segments are broad, and the whole corolla is of a uniform 
soft luteus yellow. The anthers are orange, and the 
filaments white. A truss of bloom was exhibited at the 
last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, by 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, and an Award of 
Merit was accorded it. 
Chrysanthemum Doric. 
The heads of this new Japanese variety are of moderate 
size, the florets are densely arranged, recurved, twisted, 
rather narrow, and of an uniform bright yellow. It is 
evidently an early sort, and, no doubt, possessed of some 
merit as a decorative variety. Three blooms of it were 
shown by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, at the 
last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, when 
an Award of Merit was accorded it. 
Caropegia Sandersoni. 
Of the species in cultivation, this no doubt produces 
by far the largest flowers of any. The long twining 
stems are of a deep dull green, and bear at the nodes or 
in the axils of the leaves their singular-looking flowers. 
The base of the corolla is tubular, and deep green, 
constricted and narrow about the middle, funnel shaped, 
and creamy white, suffused with pale green above this, 
and surmounted by a most singular-looking five-lobed 
limb with the edges of the lobes united at the top, 
forming a structure resembling a Baldwin parachute 
more than anything else. This is bright green and 
reticulated with yellow, especially on the inner surface 
(morphologically the upper). There are five lateral 
rounded openings beneath this umbrella-like top, and 
the two contiguous halves of each segment are united, 
forming five emarginate lobes projecting into the side 
openings of the flower. The organs of fructification 
are bidden low down in the corolla, and the whole 
structure and organisation of the flower are very com¬ 
plicated. A specimen was exhibited at the last 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society by Mr. F. 
Ross, gardener to Sir George Macleay, Pendell Court, 
Bletchingley, when a Botanical Certificate was granted 
it. 
-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Plants grown for exhibition blooms should by this 
time be housed ; the first week in October I consider 
is quite early enough for the general collection to be 
moved under glass. This year we have been obliged to 
