THE GARDENING WORLD 
283 
January 4, 1890. 
Begonias since the first introduction in 1864 is an 
accomplished fact, and quite without a parallel in the 
history of the whole family j and the lapidity with 
which it has been done is probably unparalleled in the 
history of any other plant or race of plants. Improve¬ 
ments amongst garden plants have been numerous, and 
iu some cases, such as that of Chrysanthemum 
morifolium, equally extensive ; but they have required 
a much greater length of time to effect. 
Improvements have been in progress amongst other 
species for a greater or less period of time, and probably 
will continue to be ; but there is still a wide field open 
to those who have the means, and care to carry on the 
work. Even amongst tuberous Begonias it cannot be 
said that we have reached the standard of perfection 
beyond which we cannot go. Cross-breeding and 
hybridisation may still be carried on from two distinct 
points of view, the former in order to improve already 
existing hybrids or their cross-bred forms, and the 
latter with a view to obtain new and distinct races. 
Gardeners, generally, who grow the tuberous kinds might 
yet effect great improvement amongst them, remem¬ 
bering that seedlings are always more bushy and of better 
habit°than those raised from cuttings. It is necessary 
to retain varieties of sterling merit, and if need be, to 
propagate them from cuttings in order to preserve and 
disseminate the same as types from which other 
similar or more meritorious varieties may be obtained. 
Those used for breeding purposes should possess some 
of the following properties, with the object of com¬ 
bining as many of them as possible in individuals of 
the progeny, namely : form, colour, substance, size, 
floriferousness, good habit, hardiness and vigour of 
constitution. The seed-bearing plant generally in¬ 
fluences the habit and form of the progeny, and the 
pollen-parent that of colour, but this rule is by no 
means absolute amongst Begonias. 
There is often greater difficulty in raising double 
varieties than is the case with single forms. No pollen 
can be obtained, as a rule, from perfectly double male 
blooms, unless by starvation the plants are induced to 
develop semi-double ones. Pollen taken from these 
and transferred to the female blooms of another plant, 
also having double male blooms, will often give a large 
percentage of good doubles amongst the progeny. 
Double female blooms are not so common as the males, 
but they may be worked upon, provided the organs of 
reproduction are not destroyed. It often happens, 
however, when perfectly double, that the carpellary 
leaves are carried above the sepals, and spread out in 
petaloid expansions, more or less perfectly coloured, 
like the sepals, and bearing myriads of ovules naked 
and exposed on their upper or inner surfaces. In such 
cases nothing can be done with them, beyond obtaining 
pollen from the male blooms where they exist on the 
same plant. 
Seed Sowing. 
The particular time at which seed should be sown 
depends upon when the plants are wanted to flower, 
and upon convenience. In order to bloom them the 
first year from seed, the latter should be sown in 
January or early in February, either for pot culture or 
for bedding out in June. Amateurs having the con¬ 
venience of a greenhouse only may sow their seed in 
May, June, or July, covering them with a hand-light ; 
but seedlings raised at this time of the year are more 
liable to damp than those sown earlier, because they 
are then frequently attacked with a fungus that des¬ 
troys them. This difficulty might be avoided by 
sowing later in the year, after the seed of the current 
year ripens, and by keeping the seedlings over the 
winter they would flower the succeeding summer, 
whereas they could not be flowered earlier, even if the 
plants were sown in May. 
When sown early in the year, they should be kept 
in a pit with a temperature ranging from 65° to 70°. 
Use a compost of leaf-soil with a small quantity of 
loam, plenty of sand, and some charcoal to keep the 
compost open, and drain well. Make the surface per¬ 
fectly smooth, water with a rose, and half an hour 
afterwards sow the seed thinly and evenly. Sprinkle 
with silver sand or finely sifted soil to keep the seeds 
iu position without covering them, plunge in coco-nut 
fibre, cover with a pane of glass, and shade when neces¬ 
sary till the seedlings are up. Then keep the pans 
near the glass, to keep the seedlings sturdy, and shade 
only from bright sunshine. Prick off the seedlings 
into other pans or boxes as soon as they have formed 
the first rough leaf, or earlier to prevent damping. 
They may be transplanted again into other pans or 
boxes, and when growing freely, inure them to a 
lower temperature, giving more air.— J. F. 
ARDENING gISCELLANY. 
—— 
Adiantum caudatum. 
This beautiful basket plant is occasionally spoken of as 
the Walking Fern, although there are some who believe 
that the appellation more properly belongs to Asplenium 
rhizophyllum. Such a name, however, is warranted 
from the way in which the subject of this notice 
develops runner-like structures, at the end of which a 
young plant is produced. A second runner arises from 
the young plant, and this goes on for a number of 
generations, so long as the young plants can root into 
fresh soil. By so doing the Fern may be said to walk 
over the ground. The fronds of A. caudatum are 
linear, 6 ins. to 12 ins. long or more, simply pinnate, 
and often terminate in the runner-like processes above 
mentioned. The pinnae are oblong, very lop-sided, as if 
half were cut away on the lower edge, while the upper 
one is more or less deeply cut. In the variety A. c. 
Edgworthii the pinnae are entire, more membraneous in 
texture, and smooth. In gardens A. ciliatum is some¬ 
times given as the correct name of this plant. For 
basket work in the Fernery it is admirably adapted, 
owing to the drooping habit of the fronds, often aided 
by the weight of the young plants suspended from 
them. 
An Electric Thermometer in the G-arden. 
In some of the hothouses at Syon House, Brentford, is 
a useful and ingenious contrivance for indicating when 
the temperature falls below a certain given minimum. 
The thermometer is of circular outline, and has a dial- 
plate in front, upon which the degrees are marked, 
with hands like that of a watch, which turn on a pivot 
so as to indicate the temperature. There is an adjust¬ 
able peg that may be set at any given figure, so that 
when the temperature falls to that degree it brings the 
indicator in contact with the adjustable peg. There is 
an electric battery in connection with the thermometer, 
and that again with a bell in the room of the foreman 
gardener. Accordingly, when the temperature in one 
of the houses falls to the minimum degree, bringing the 
indicator in contact with the above-mentioned adjust¬ 
able peg, the electric circuit is completed, when the 
bell commences ringing, and keeps on until exhausted 
or the temperature is raised. Any oversight or care¬ 
lessness on the part of the stoker may therefore be 
productive of much annoyance to the inmate of the 
room in which the bell is located, and this may be in 
the small hours of the morning, when the sleepers 
should be enjoying comfortable repose. 
Abutilon megapotamioum. 
The specific name of this species means “ big river," 
an appellation which takes its rise from the fact that 
its native home is on the Rio Grande, in South 
America, from whence it was introduced in 1864. It 
is also, and perhaps better known in gardens under the 
name of A. vexillarium, notwithstanding the fact 
that it also got disseminated under the proper name, 
which is derived from two Greek words—namely, 
megas, great, and potamos, a river. We cannot be 
surprised therefore at seeing some bold but rather 
faulty attempts at spelling upon labels on some 
occasions. The leaves of this species are small com¬ 
pared with those of most others ; but there is a varie¬ 
gated form, the leaves of which are more or less 
blotched with yellow, and when in good condition is 
very ornamental, especially when planted out of doors 
in summer in beds amongst other kindred subjects. 
The ordinary green type is, however, of great value as 
a conservatory or greenhouse climber, inasmuch as it 
flowers continuously for many months in the year, but 
particularly in autumn and winter. The five-angled 
crimson calyx reminds one of some of the Clero- 
dendrons, and owing to its bright colour and dura¬ 
bility is of great ornamental value. The petals are 
yellow, but neither so large nor so conspicuous as those 
of A. venosum and most of the garden hybrids. As a 
climber it maybe trained to a height of 12 ft. to 20 ft., 
and a good example of it may be seen at Syon House, 
Brentford. 
Hymenoeallia macrostephana. 
The flowering period of this species is sometimes 
stated to be February, but when a batch of plants is 
grown, flowers may be had at various periods of the 
year, just as in the case of the allied Eucharis. The 
segments of the flower are long and narrow, but any 
deficiency in this way is made up by the great size of 
the crown, which is widely funnel shaped, and more 
or less ragged at the margins. The tube of the flowers 
is greenish, and the anthers yellow, but with these 
exceptions all the rest is pure white. Although not so 
long lasting as the Eucharis, the delicious odour of 
the flowers of this species is so noticeable a feature, that 
we should expect the plant to be more widely culti¬ 
vated than it is. 
Camellia, Lady Hume’s Blush. 
We are now in the midst of the festive season, and 
flowers are in great request, especially white ones, and 
heavy demands are made upon any plants that produce 
them, and which are of moderate shape and substance. 
Of Camellias, in Lady Hume’s Blush, we have still a 
good old early sort, and one of the most beautiful and 
delicate of whites that I know of. It commences to 
open when the Chrysanthemums are on the wane, and 
fills up a slight void until Alba plena and others come 
in. The habit of the plant is not so good as some 
others, consequently the flowers are often produced 
under the terminal, but pendulous shoots. As I am 
just despatching some flowers to the family, in the Isle 
of Wight, I reserve a few of the “Ladies’ Blushes,” and 
send them to you, hoping that Catherine Street will 
not be jealous, and that they will not be stranded before 
their arrival at No. 17.— B. L. 
Hemionitis palmata. 
Few Ferns possess the characteristic appearance of this 
species. The leaves are palmately five-lobed, the lobes 
bluntly serrated, and the terminal one is but little 
longer than the rest. Both surfaces are thickly covered 
with hairs, and the under surface of the fertile fronds 
is netted all over with a beautiful reticulation of the 
brownish red sori, which thus follow the course of the 
venation. It is tufted in habit, neat and pretty, and 
being a native of the West Indies requires a stove tem¬ 
perature. The neat habit, and the beautiful and inter¬ 
esting arrangement of the sori appeal, however, to all 
lovers of Ferns, for extended cultivation. There are 
eight known species, of which but few are yet in culti¬ 
vation, and they differ remarkably from that under 
notice. There is some outward resemblance between 
it and small or young specimens of Doryopttris palmata ; 
but there is a better mimicry in Asplenium Hemionitis, 
which has five-lobed smooth fronds, but a very different 
arrangement of the fructification. The middle lobe of 
the leaf is also very much longer than the rest, making 
it appear more hastate than palmate, as in the Fern 
under notice. 
Preserving Calceolarias through the 
Winter. 
It is both honourable and elevating for any gardener 
or foreman to impart hints and useful information for 
the benefit of the craft, and I was pleased to see my 
county brother’s letter on this subject. In the matter 
of protection, there is not so much difference between 
your correspondents, if we allow for the variation in 
climate—advancing northwards, extra protection is 
naturally needed. Extremes both as regards coddling 
and exposure are to be avoided, prevention at all 
times being better than cure. It is not good policy, 
even in Yorkshire, to leave Calceolarias entirely un¬ 
protected. Mr. James may have kept his three years 
without matting, but my friend fails to see that 
nature has done a fair share for him ; with the snow 
there was no need to be alarmed, as the thicker the 
covering the fresher would be the plants when it 
melted. His frames on the 7th ult., although left 
open to 10° of frost, were the previous night practically 
shut by a natural, 4 ins. thick, white mat. Variability 
of climate must originate diversity of action, even in 
these matters. The cultural details given by Mr. 
James are good, and his suggestion with regard to the 
lower stratum of soot, was to me original .—A 
Yorkshire Gardener. 
Two Good Strawberries for Forcing. 
Wf cannot yet omit Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury 
from the list as one of the best kinds for early work. 
A good opportunity is afforded at Syon House, 
Brentford, for comparing it with Noble, which has 
already a good reputation for outdoor work as a large 
fruiting and very early kind. Last year it was forced 
by itself and gave very satisfactory results. A batch 
of Noble and another of Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury 
were started about the middle of November under 
exactly the same conditions, and we had an oppor¬ 
tunity of comparing the results so far about three 
weeks ago. Noble gave the idea of being a second 
early for forcing purposes, as a few only of the plants 
had opened some of their flowers. The plants, however, 
