588 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 17, 1890. 
March, April, and May. Owing to the segments of the 
corolla not being auricled at the base, the flowers are 
very different in appearance from those hardy species 
above mentioned. A specimen in the hardy plant 
house at Kew, by the herbaceous ground, has been 
flowering for some time. 
Miles’ Saxifrage. 
This is one of the Megasea section of the genus, and is 
a white variety of garden origin, known under the 
name of S. Stracheyi Milesii. The leaves are large, 
obovate, ciliate serrate, doubly toothed near the apex, 
and of a dark green with a red margin. The flowers 
are developed at various times from March to May, 
according to the nature of the weather, and are borne 
on cymose panicles just rising from amongst the leaves. 
The petals are white and distinctly clawed, whereas 
those of the type are roundish and pink. It seems 
harder than either S. Stracheyi or S. S. thysanodes, 
which generally lose their leaves if exposed to frost 
even in moderately severe winters. A plant may be 
seen in the herbaceous ground at Kew. 
The Vernal Gentian. 
The deep azure-blue flowers of Gentiana verna, when 
in full beauty, never fail to enlist a large number of 
admirers. The white eye or throat of the flower is due 
to the two stigmas, each of which is semi-orbicular, and 
the two combined just serve to close the opening of the 
corolla. Sunshine, or at least bright light, with a 
warm temperature, is necessary to cause the flowers to 
expand, without which they appear to great disad¬ 
vantage. Cultivated in pots, and kept in a cold frame, 
the plant is generally easy to manage ; but few succeed 
with it for many years in succession when planted out 
of doors. Like most of the Gentians, it delights in a 
moderately moist soil, and to be left undisturbed. 
When planting it on rockeries, some pieces of porous 
stone should be embedded in the soil in which it is 
grown, which will aid in keeping the roots moist. 
Anemone trifolia. 
Your note on this plant (p. 571) is very far from giving 
a good idea of it. The specimen described as growing 
at Kew cannot have been in proper form if the flowers 
were only as large as Hepatica triloba nivea. Anemone 
trifolia has been growing here many years in quantity, 
and is now beautifully in bloom, just as A. nemorosa 
is over. It is as large as the variety A. nemorosa 
gigantea. The flowers are of a creamy white, the 
petals less transparent than in our Wood Anemone and 
with more substance, so that they will last well in 
water when cut. This lovely plant ought to be in 
everyone’s garden.— IV. Brockbank, Brockhurst, Dids- 
bury. 
The Groundsel Tree. 
The leaves of this curious Composite are oblong wedge- 
shaped, coarsely-toothed, and of a rich green. The 
plant is a much-branched shrub, varying from 3 ft. to 
12 ft. in height, according to age and circumstances. 
It can, of course, be kept down to any required height 
by pruning at the desire or convenience of the cul¬ 
tivator. The flower heads are similar in form to those 
of the common Groundsel, but larger, and white. At 
a distance they are by no means conspicuous, owing to 
the absence of rays ; but close at hand, the multi¬ 
tudinous white heads nestling amongst the dark green 
foliage have a pretty and pleasing effect. Even in the 
absence of flowers, the closely-set foliage and the twiggy 
habit of the plant renders it a useful subject for giving 
variation in a shrubbery, or as a specimen on a lawn. 
The Mahaleb Cherry. 
The fine old specimen of this tree at Devonhurst, 
Chiswick, once forming an integral part of the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s garden, is now in full bloom, 
and a beautiful sight it is, with its long umbrageous 
arms spreading over a great extent of ground on every 
side, and covered with its small, white, sweet-scented 
flowers. The latter are borne in short or sub-corymbose 
racemes, and in the aggregate are very effective, toned 
down as they are by the foliage, which is now well 
expanded. The individual leaves are roundly ovate or 
sub-cordate, and of a beautiful deep shining green 
above. The flowers are very popular with the bees, 
which swarm all over the tree in fine weather, creating 
a lively and audible hum. 
Protecting Peas from Sparrows. 
In some districts sparrows are a great deal more trouble¬ 
some and destructive than in others. Peas in this 
place are eaten or picked clean off as soon as they come 
through the ground if not protected ; and the most 
simple and effective means of protection that I know of 
is to stretch a couple of lines of dark thread or cotton 
just along the rows about 3 ins. or less from the 
ground. In my case they positively shun the rows 
these threads are stretched along, from small sticks 
every' few yards, where the rows are long ones. "Where 
there are no threads there is not a vestige of green left 
upon the rows.— T. IV., Yelverton, Norfolk. 
A Good Late Broccoli. 
I have to-day, May 10th, commenced cutting Daniels’ 
King of the Broceolis, the latest of all varieties that I 
know of, and our stock will carry us through the season 
until the Early Walcheren Cauliflowers comein. Daniels’ 
King is not a monster grower, but it produces good-sized 
heads, and it is self protecting, the leaves well covering 
the head, until it becomes fully expanded.— T. IV., 
Yelverton, Norfolk. 
Spiraea prunifolia flore pleno. 
It does not appear that the typical single-flowered form 
of the species is in cultivation, or if so it is scarce and 
seldom seen. The double form of the Prunus-leaved 
Spiraea under notice is, however, much more common 
in shrubberies and on walls. It is a native of China 
and Japan, and although comparatively hardy, the 
young expanding leaves do occasionally get injured by 
severe frosts. All traces of this injury is, however, 
soon obliterated by subsequent growth when warmer 
weather sets in. When grown in the open ground, it 
forms a bush about 2 ft. or 3 ft. high, but when trained 
on a wall it runs up to 5 ft. or more. The small double 
white flowers are borne in clusters or fascicles termi¬ 
nating the short lateral shoots, or on the sides of the 
stronger twigs of the previous year’s wood, forming in 
both these ways beautiful sprays of blossom. 
Tlie Meadow Anemone. 
At first sight A. pratensis bears a strong resemblance 
to the Pasque Flower (A. Pulsatilla), of which it is 
doubtless an extreme form, having a similar habit, and 
foliage that closely corresponds to that of its congener. 
The flowers are, however, considerably smaller, dark 
brownish purple, and nodding. The sepals are also 
narrower, more pointed, and erect, with Tecurved tips, 
while the full-blown flower of A. Pulsatilla is violet, 
and more expanded, with blunt sepals. The latter 
flowers from the early days of April, or even in March, 
onwards till May ; while the Meadow Anemone is 
later, and is in perfection during May. 
Tulipa retroflexa. 
The highly-coloured seifs, as well as the feathered and 
flamed Tulips of the florist, and the various other 
forms of Tulipa Gesneriana, largely grown for the 
ornamentation of the spring garden, are undoubtedly 
handsome and effective in their way ; but there are 
several forms of Tulips that are indeed beautiful, yet 
which will never conform to the florist s ideal of 
perfection. T. retroflexa is one of these, with bright 
yellow flowers 3 ins. long, produced on long scapes, 
which bend and sway in the wind, giving a bed of 
flowers a lively and charming appearance as they nod 
and dance in the cold east winds of the early part of 
May. The segments are erect, oblong, and narrowed 
to a long reflexed point, which has suggested the specific 
name, if species it may be called, which is doubtful. 
Tulipa Gesneriana spathulata. 
This is an Italian form often described under the name 
T. spathulata, while there are not wanting those who 
consider it as the wild form, from which the modern 
garden race of T. Gesneriana has sprung. From such 
a point of view they name it T. G. vera. Be that as it 
may, the flowers are probably the largest of any wild 
Tulip, not excepting T. Gesneriana itself. When, fully 
expanded, the flowers are of a brilliant red with a 
purplish black blotch at the base of each segment 
internally. Before expansion, the large buds are tinted 
with glaucous green externally, of the same hue that 
strongly pervades the foliage, giving the plants its char¬ 
acteristic sea-green colour. 
Allium karataviense. 
Although belonging to the same genus as the Onion 
the leaves of this species are so strikingly distinct from 
others in cultivation that few would recognise it as an 
Allium except when in bloom. The leaves are broad 
and flat, not tubular, elliptic, of a deep glaucous hue 
above, and purplish brown beneath. Sometimes they 
are variegated. The flowers are white, produced in 
dense globular heads about half a foot in diameter, and 
expand in May. Unlike those of many of the species 
they are fragrant. The plant is a native of Turkestan, 
and might be grown to advantage in herbaceous borders 
of a light and sandy nature ; it is, however, by no means 
of a delicate nature. Plants are now flowering in the 
nursery of Messrs. Barr & Son at Long Ditton. 
-- 
SEASONABLE WORK IN THE 
GARDEN. 
Crotons.— Where small plants are much required for 
table and other decorative purposes, the stock will fre¬ 
quently have to be renewed by striking fresh batches of 
cuttings. The best types, and those with the most 
highly coloured foliage, should be selected, and the 
stronger the cuttings within a certain limit, the sooner 
will they be fit for use. 
Ixoras. —Young stock of these should be regularly 
pinched back until they form a sufficient stock of shoots 
to make bushy specimens. Those that are being grown 
on for cut flowers will be accelerated by plunging the 
pots in coco-nut fibre, with plenty of bottom-heat. 
Vigorous young plants, while taking up comparatively 
little space, will yield a large amount of bloom. 
Celosias.— If anything good is expected, these must 
be grown in a brisk heat, and kept near the glass, in 
order to prevent the stems getting drawn. This 
applies to Celosia cristata, C. pvramidalis, Gomphrena 
globosa compacta, and others of that class. 
Aphelandra aurantiaca. —-Good plants of this 
highly ornamental subject are obtainable from seed 
as from cuttings. Encourage growth by keeping the 
plants in a moist warm atmosphere, and avoid checks, 
as no class of plants suffer sooner than this and its 
allies through bad treatment. The bottom leaves 
drop, and the plants look bare and leggy. 
Amaryllis. —As these go out of flower, a vigorous 
growth of the foliage should be encouraged, to favour 
the plumping up of the bulbs and the storing of reserve 
material for next year’s work. The foliage should be 
well exposed to light, and the bulbs supplied with 
moisture until the foliage begins to show signs of 
going to rest, when it may gradually be withheld. 
Winter-flowering Plants. — Whenever such 
things as Plumbigos, Centropogons, Saricographis, 
Vincas, and similar things that are being grown on for 
winter decoration, have filled their pots with roots, 
they should be re-potted, to keep them growing. Their 
success in autumn and winter will depend upon the 
growth they make during the next few months. 
Heaths and Epacris. —After the plants which 
were cut back have made some good growth they should 
be placed in a more airy structure, to- prevent the 
shoots becoming drawn and to harden them off pre¬ 
paratory to their being placed in the open air for the 
summer months. 
Tuberous Begonias. --The old plants 'are now 
coming into bloom, and will require a liberal 
supply of water. Discriminate shading should also be 
employed to ensure the longevity of the bloom, neither 
applying it too early, nor continuing it too late in the 
afternoon. Ventilation should also be freely given, as 
upon that will depend the vigour and dwarfness of the 
plants. 
Fuchsias. —To come into bloom next month, the 
shoots of these should now be allowed to grow freely, 
tying in the longer ones to maintain the symmetry of 
the plant. They will require a plentiful supply of 
water at the roots, and will be much benefited by 
copious syringings overhead. 
Peaches. —The syringe maybe freely used in houses 
until the fruit begins to colour. After that the foliage 
must be kept dry until the fruit is gathered. Should 
outside borders, where such exist, appear dry, they 
should receive a liberal watering if the weather is dry. 
Melons. —The weather has been moderately dry, 
thus furthering the ripening of fruit, but sunshine has 
been anything but plentiful. Abundance of air should, 
however, be given on all favourable occasions to assist 
in developing flavour, without which success will only 
be partial. Attend to the pinching and tying of the 
shoots in later houses. 
Cucumbers. —When the second batch of plants 
comes into full bearing, those that fruited during 
winter, if they are now enfeebled and producing but 
little fruit, may be rooted out, and a fresh bed made 
up for a new plantation. They will soon grow to a 
bearing state at this season of the year. 
Flower Garden. —Hyacinths are now completely 
out of flower, and most of the Tulips are so likewise ; 
and all may therefore be carefully dug up and conveyed 
