508 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 12, 1890. 
and variety of colour. Their resources in spring flowers 
were not, however, so large that they could afford to be 
too critical, and among those to be accepted was the 
Narcissus, which was very effective, and adapted itself 
to any position, a mass of them brightening the garden 
considerably. He did not wish them to imagine that 
all the results they desired could be accomplished in a 
single season. No expenditure of time or money could 
secure this, and it must necessarily be a work of time. 
Mr. Ingram then gave an interesting description of 
the manner in which the gardens at Belvoir, which 
were under his charge, had been laid out, the special 
object being to secure as early a supply of spring 
flowers as possible, and dealt with some of the means 
which he had adopted to bring about this desirable 
result. 
-- 
ARDENING fjflSCELLANY. 
-- 
Boronia serrulata. 
Although an old introduction this beautiful species 
has fallen into comparative neglect. Some years ago 
splendid plants of it were grown, which for size, health 
and floriferousness were faultless. In the leaves it 
differs remarkably from any of the popular species now 
in cultivation ; they are obovate, or trapeziform, 
serrulate, erect and closely adpressed to the stems, 
giving them a peculiar aspect. In the young state 
they are of a beautiful red colour, which the margin 
retains even when mature. The flowers are produced 
in close heads terminating the shoots, are of a lively 
rose colour and deliciously fragrant. The plant is 
densely bushy and twiggy, growing from 1 ft. to 6 ft. 
high according to age and conditions. Even in the 
young state it is very floriferous, when only about a 
foot in height. It requires greenhouse treatment 
similar to that accorded many other New Holland 
plants. 
Pyxidanthera barbatula. 
The natural order Diapensiacese, to which this plant 
belongs, includes but six or eight species, and of these 
but few of them are ever seen in gardens. The plant is 
herbaceous or of a sub-shrubby nature, and forms small 
compact tufts resembling Silene acaulis. The leaves 
are narrowly oblaneeolate, entire, and densely arranged 
along thq short procumbent stems, with numerous leafy 
buds in their axils, making the herbage denser still. 
The flowers are white or pale pink, of moderately large 
size for such a small plant, and produced singly at the 
apex of the shoots. A specimen grown in a pot 
was shown by Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, at the 
Drill Hall on the 8th inst., when an Award of Merit 
was accorded it. 
Primrose Oak-wood Blue. 
The flowers of this Primrose are of a dark violet-blue, 
with a five-lobed yellow eye, surrounded by a faint 
white line, and are certainly the darkest of this hue yet 
shown. The segments of the corolla are broadly 
obcordate and slightly imbricated. It will be a great 
acquisition provided it flowers as freely as the ordinary 
garden forms of the Primrose. Unfortunately, how¬ 
ever, blue varieties are rather liable to suffer from late 
spring frosts, which greatly injure and destroy the 
richness of the hue of the blooms. A specimen of the 
variety under notice was exhibited by G. F. Wilson, 
Esq., F.R.S., Heatherbahk, Weybridge, at the last 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, when 
it received an Award of Merit. 
Hippeastrum Grand Monarch. 
The flowers of this fine variety are funnel-shaped, with 
a widely-spreading lamina. The outer segments are 
elliptic and much the broadest, while all are of a rich 
crimson-scarlet, intensifying to a dark velvety crimson 
in the throat. A specimen of it, at the Drill Hall on 
the 8th inst., bore four large flowers on a scape about 
3 ft. high. The exhibitors were Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Chelsea, who received an Award of Merit for it. 
Examination of Gardeners. 
I quite agree with many of “A. W.’s” remarks on 
p. 486 upon this subject, but like most your suggestion 
at p. 454 as to the best way of conducting examinations. 
It was the plan followed by the R. H. S. when that 
society held examinations of young gardeners some 
years ago. If such examinations were properly carried 
out, t^e certificates given would be useful in seeking 
a situation, and also cause young men to take more 
interest in their work. I think with “ A. W.” that the 
R. H. S. would be the proper central society, and if 
the Council could see their way to take up the matter 
again, I think it would help to make the society more 
popular with gardeners. I think also that the R. H. S. 
might do more good by employing more young English¬ 
men at Chiswick than it does. When I was there a 
third were foreigners, and perhaps it is so now. 
[No.]-I 7 . B. 
Polyanthus, Terra Cotta. 
The highly-coloured garden varieties of Primula are 
being brought to a great state of perfection. The merit 
of this variety consists in the very unusual colour of the 
flowers and the enormous quantity of them produced, 
even by a small plant. The corolla is closely but 
lightly suffused with red on a yellow ground, giving 
the whole a terra-cotta hue. The five-lobed, golden 
yellow eye is surrounded by a narrow line of pale 
yellow. A specimen, in which the leaves were almost 
concealed by the flowers, was exhibited at the Drill 
Hall on Tuesday last, by Mr. R. Dean, Ranelagh 
Road, Ealing, when he received an Award of Merit 
for it. 
The Culture of Onions. 
Your correspondent, “ B. L.’’ p. 491, writing on grow¬ 
ing Onions for exhibition, says the holes should be 
made deep enough to allow of the roots being laid in 
straight. Will he please say if he means straight down 
into the earth, or spread out straight horizontally about 
1£ ins. below the surface of the soil. The first I should 
suppose is meant. I live in a district in which Tripoli 
or autumn Onions grow well, but in which many people 
cannot grow spring Onions, and several I know do not 
now attempt to grow anything but the autumn Onions. 
Why is this ? is a question I often ask myself. May I 
ask your correspondent if he can tell me how to avoid 
having my spring Onions thick necked ? My soil is 
rather stiff loam, but I always take good care to have 
it in condition at planting or sowing time. Some 
seasons we tread it well, others not at all, but the 
results are not much different. I have a lot, almost 
ready of spring Onions in pots for planting out. 
Those planted last year on well-trodden ground, and 
kept well watered, and fed with manure water were 
very thick necked ; I should like to avoid it this year 
if possible. My plants are in 2j-in. or 3-in. pots. 
Should the balls be planted intact, or any of the roots 
loosened out? Any information will be thankfully 
received by one who has had several tries at growing 
first-class exhibition spring Onions.— A. B. 
Collinsia verna and C. bicolor. 
Some of the species of Collinsia rank amongst the most 
popular of annuals, and none more so than those under 
notice. C. verna would no doubt be more commonly 
grown than it is if it were as vigorous as C. bicolor. 
The latter is the favourite during the summer and 
autumn months, when it grows about a foot in height, 
producing a great quanticy of flowers, the lower lip of 
which is rosy purple, while the rest is white. The 
structure and arrangement of the parts of the flower are 
very curious, and the lower lip especially shows a some¬ 
what similar arrangement to that of Schizanthus, 
except that the five lobes are undivided. This is best 
seen in C. verna, where the various segments are more 
expanded. The lower lip is blue, the rest being white. 
If sown in autumn in the open ground this species will 
flower in May. It may also be sown in pots, grown on 
in a cold frame, and if kept moderately close will flower 
freely towards the end of March or early in April, when 
it may be introduced to a greenhouse or hardy plant 
structure, where its beauty’ can be seen and admired. 
In small pots the plants do not exceed 3 ins. to 5 ins. 
in height. 
Strawberry, Auguste Nicaise. 
The typical fruits of this variety are large, broad, 
flattened and wedge-shaped, with the seeds (or botanic- 
ally, the true fruits) rather sunk in small cavities 
over the surface. The berries are otherwise smooth, 
or more or less undulated ; occasionally they are 
lobed, and when mature of a brilliant red. A dish 
of it gathered from forced plants was shown by Mr. 
J. Smith, Mentmore, at a meeting of the Fruit Com¬ 
mittee of the Royal Horticultural Society on Tuesday 
last, when it was accorded an Aw’ard of Merit as a 
good forcing variety. 
SEASONABLE WORK IN THE 
GARDEN. 
Stephanotis fi.oribunda. —Regulate and tie in the 
shoots of this climber as they grow to prevent their 
getting intricately mixed and twisted round one 
another, making it almost impossible to separate them 
afterwards. Syringe frequently to keep down mealy¬ 
bug, which seems to have a predilection for this plant. 
Allamandas. —No shading should be given these 
climbers, but particularly A. Schottii (A. Hendersoni) 
if it can be avoided, as plenty of sunlight induces the 
wood to assume the firmness, and the leaves to perform 
their functions properly, and as a result an abundance 
of large blooms are produced in succession throughout 
the season. 
Olivias.— These are now in most cases in the height 
of their beauty, and to enable them to throw up good 
succession spikes of bloom they should be well attended 
to in the matter of water, and supplies of weak liquid 
manure at every second watering. Besides the large- 
flowering forms of C. miniata, the good old-fashioned 
C. nobilis should not be neglected, on account of its 
distinctness and pendent flowers, which in many 
varieties are well coloured. 
Climbers for Shady Walls. —Those who have 
walls in shady places to be covered would do well to 
try Selaginella Wildenovii, known in gardens under 
the name of S. ciesia arborea, also Lygodium scandens, 
Philodendron erubescens, P. chrysomelanos, Ficus 
repens, F. r. minima, F. barbata, Dioscorea discolor, 
Echites rubro-venosa, Yitis (Cissus) discolor, and 
Scindapsis pictus. 
Temperature and Shading for the Stove. —The 
night temperature may now be raised to 70°, allowing a 
corresponding rise during the day from sun-heat. 
Carefully guard against east winds when ventilating 
gradually, and as early in the day as circumstances 
will permit. Shading should be got in readiness if 
this has not already been done to guard against sudden 
bursts of sunshine. 
Lapageria rosea. —Tender young shoots are now 
making their appearance above ground, even in the 
cooler houses in which this plant is grown. Precaution 
will have to be taken against slugs by putting a glass, 
tin, or other collar of some length around the base of 
the suckers as they push up, and until they get 
hardened, so as to be out of danger. 
Peaches. —In the early house it can be pretty well 
determined what fruits are now going to remain on the 
trees as the critical part of the stoning period is now 
getting over. The cultivator may therefore go over 
his trees and remove superfluous fruits, as well as 
shoots that are not absolutely required for next season's 
work. This will greatly relieve the trees fiom any 
unnecessary strain in these respects. 
Strawberries in Pots. —As the fruit gets gathered 
from the earliest batches, the plants should not be 
stood out of doors if it is intended to make any use of 
them afterwards. The best may be reserved lor fruit 
ing in pots in September next, while the rest may be 
planted in a warm sunny border for fruiting in autumn. 
Before this, however, they should be hardened off in 
cold frames or pits. 
Figs.— As the fruits of early varieties grown in pots 
approach maturity, less water should be given both at 
the roots and overhead. Successive batches, the 
fiuits of which are rapidly swelling, should be liberally 
treated, as the plants require a large supply of water. 
Feed also with liquid manure, and syringe the plants 
copiously at least twice a day to keep down red-spider. 
Increase the night temperature to 60° or 65°, with an 
increase of 10° or 15° during the day with sun-heat. 
Oranges. — Young growth is now making rapid 
headway, and the night temperature may be raised to 
65° or 70°, with a corresponding rise by day. Syringe 
heavily, except any late trees that may still be in 
bloom. This is necessary to keep down bug, scale, 
and other insects, which increase rapidly at this season. 
Potatos. —Where beds were made up and planted 
about the beginning of the year, the crop should now 
be ready for lifting. By storing the Potatos in small 
quantities in pots with soil above and below them, the 
space they occupied may be immediately devoted to 
another crop or for other purposes, according to the 
requirements of the place. 
French Beans. — Much time would be saved in 
watering, and the atmosphere of the house could be 
kept in a more equable condition, by covering the soil 
on which the plants are stood with fairly well-decayed 
farmyard manure. 
Celery. —Plants for an early plantation should now 
be ready for transplanting into boxes, planting on a 
hot-bed to forwara them. Sow at once for the main 
crop. 
