664 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 21, 1890. 
The Changes in the Oxford Schedule. 
I could not find leisure to reply to Mr. Dodwell’s 
communication respecting the changes in the Oxford 
schedule, until those changes had been finally decided 
upon, but I may briefly state here that I think the new 
classification of the Picotee a step in the right direction. 
But remembering as I do an animated discussion that 
arose last year at the Oxford show about a seedling 
Picotee, as to whether it belonged to the reds or the 
purples, I anticipate that it will be impossible to 
bridge over all difficulties that may arise in classifica¬ 
tion. As to the proposed decorative section, I have no 
hesitation in taking sides with the Rev. F. D. Horner. 
Much as I appreciate the effort to stimulate the pro¬ 
duction of the highest forms of bloom for floral 
decoration, I cannot but deprecate the introduction of 
this feature into the exhibition of the Oxford Carnation 
Union. It will open the door to every Tom, Dick, and 
Harry who grow border Carnations, and to every flower 
grower who aims at producing the biggest Caliban 
among Carnations, Souvenir de Malmaison. 
I do not object to these monstrosities as button-holes 
—although I should never desecrate or decorate my 
button-hole with such—or as table decorations ; but 
when it comes to placing them upon the exhibition 
table side by side with the choicest creations of the art 
florist, then I say the raison d'etre of the florists’ 
society has vanished into thin air. There is another 
objection specially affecting the Oxford show. The 
exhibiting space is limited. Even last year it was 
difficult to get a critical glimpse of the exhibits; but 
what will it be when, all the world and his wife—more 
especially his wife—are attracted, by the button-holes 
and bouquets, the pots and the pans of silver and glass 
full of gay nonentities in floriculture ? 
Novelty, however, is the order of the day, but if we 
must make a new departure at Oxford it might suffice 
to have a class for the naturaliser, if I may invent a term 
in which florists’ flowers might be shown without 
collars or dressing, and with buds and foliage of their 
own growth. That is as far as I should be inclined to 
go in a special florists’ exhibition. I cannot help 
thinking that Mr. Dodwell’s kindliness of heart has 
in this instance superseded his judgment. I am sure, 
however^ that he will not misinterpret my motives in 
taking exception to this new phase of a society, associa¬ 
tion with which I count an honour and a privilege.— 
E. Ranger Johnson. 
Carnation, Uriah Pike. 
I was much pleased with this fine dark, Clove-scented 
Carnation when shown last week at the exhibition of 
the Royal Botanic Society by Mr. T. Pike, Park Road, 
Acton. It is an excellent grower, and wonderfully 
free. The flowers are large and full, and it has a good 
petal ; in addition it does not burst its pods. This is 
a great recommendation in its favour. I felt sorry it 
did not receive a Certificate of Merit, but Mr. Pike 
exhibited also a stand of somewhat ragged cut blooms, 
which unfortunately operated to lower its merits in the 
eyes of the judges. Still, the character of the blooms 
on the plants sent would have justified the judges in 
making the award. But I do not think it is a bond 
fide tree or winter-flowering variety. It is simply an 
ordinary dark self Carnation, brought on into bloom 
under glass. The same could be said of the basket of 
plants of Carnation Pride of Penshurst, on the other 
side of the tent, and it is by no means difficult to have 
some of the summer-flowering Carnations in bloom soon 
after Christmas if properly managed.— R. D. 
The Cuckoo Spit, 
Mu. Johnson’s experience with the Cuckoo spit is a 
common one, and I may say with safety that all 
■Carnation growers have had too intimate relations 
with it. It is the Tettigonia spumaria of some ento¬ 
mologists ; and Aphrophora spumaria of others. That 
such a spittle-covered, soft, sickly-looking pest should 
give so much trouble, is an anomaly. Its larvte 
enveloped in froth is not only to be found on my 
Carnations and Pinks, but other plants. Let anyone 
carefully remove from a plant the spittle and examine 
it, and they will find in the midst of it one or two (I 
find two mostly) small, pale green, aphis-like insects. 
These are the young froth fly, and what does it do ? 
By means of its sharp rostrum or beak, it extracts sap 
from the plant, and voids it as an excrement in the 
frothy form, which is its characteristic. About the 
end of July it sheds its skin, leaving it in the froth, 
and comes forth the perfect insect. Then the males 
and females pair, and they deposit their eggs, probably 
in the leaf axils of the plants they infest. I find a 
plan to clear the plants of the insects is to take a basin 
of water and a brush, and with the brush remove the 
spittle, washing it off in the basin of water. The 
finger and thumb can be • employed as Mr. Johnson 
suggests, but the act of crushing the insects in this 
way leaves behind some of the froth which should be 
washed out. Of the six legs possessed by the perfect 
insect, the two hind ones are longest, and they are used 
for jumping. Mr. Kirby states they will leap 5 ft. or 
6 ft. at a time, being more than 250 times their own 
length.— R. D. 
Auriculas. 
The weather appears to be altogether favourable to 
newly-potted Auriculas, and they are doing wonderfully 
well. June is a month of rest for the Auricula—a time 
of refreshment after the energy and strain expended 
during the months of its marvellously active life, from 
the earliest to the latest months of spring. I think 
that as the time of rest comes in June, a grower should 
either re-pot early in May or about the middle of July. 
A good portion of my own plants were re-potted during 
the few first days of May ; the remainder—plants I 
am endeavouring to get a little seed from—-will be 
treated in the same manner as soon as the seed is 
ready. While they remain in their blooming-pots they 
need to be well looked after, keeping the surface soil 
free from an accumulation of green, the plants well 
watered, as they dry very quickly, clean from decaying 
foliage, and from green-fly clustering about the centres. 
I think a good many plants are lost through over- 
potting, and being in a soddened and sour soil ; hence 
the advantage of adequate drainage, a good fibry 
porous soil, and pots of moderate size. The Rev. F. D. 
Horner states that all but the largest plants can be 
grown in 3-in. pots ; and a largest sized plant needs no 
more than a 4-in. or 4|-in. pot. The roots of the plant 
and the soil being fairly moist, no water will be required 
for a week or ten days. A prolific cause of rot is 
watering before the roots are commencing to work in 
the soil. I allow my newly potted plants to flag a bit, 
and then they may be said to plainly ask for water ; 
and I give them a thorough watering, allowing them to 
drain well before they are put back on the stage. If in 
watering, any water gets into the heart of the plant, I 
blow it all out with a sharp puff. 
Cleanliness is of the first importance. A fumigation 
with tobacco smoke is the most sure way of getting rid 
of green-fly ; I generally fumigate two nights running, 
so as to make sure that the plants are cleared of this 
pest.— R. D. 
-->*«•- 
OARLUDOVICA PALM^IPOLIA. 
More attention is now being given than formerly to 
the cultivation of fine-foliaged plants in a small state 
for decorative purposes, including Palms, Crotons, 
Pandanus, Carludovica, and others. Carludovica 
palmiefolia, as may be seen from the accompanying 
illustration, is an elegant plant, and, moreover, 
possesses a distinctiveness of its own compared either 
with C. palmata, C. elegans, C. Drudei, or other species 
now grown in various establishments for their elegant 
habit. The leaves are borne about 2 ins. apart on 
elongating stems, and are bifid or deeply divided into 
two equal portions that are strongly ribbed and plaited. 
They are also deep green, stalked, and assume a graceful 
arching habit, in the manner of some Dracsenas, but 
strikingly distinct, owing to their bifid character, 
reminding us of some species of Geonoma amongst the 
Palms ; but they are larger and more elegant in 
contour, while the stems are proportionately stouter. 
A specimen exhibited at a meeting of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, in the latter part of August last year, 
had leaves from 2 ft. to 3 ft. in length, including their 
footstalks. We are indebted to Messrs. B. S. Williams 
& Son, Upper Holloway, for an opportunity of figuring 
this beautiful plant. It is a native of South America, 
and belongs to the order Cyclamacere, the New World 
representatives of the Old World Pandanus family. 
The species of Carludovica might be utilised with fine 
effect in sub-tropical gardening, as they are largely used 
in the parks and gardens about Paris. 
-- 
Cattleya Mossi„e Reineckiana pallida.— The 
sepals and petals of this variety are white, as in 
the typical C. M. Reineckiana ; but the purple on the 
middle lobe of the lip is reduced to a pale purple, 
reticulated blotch on the centre. The yellow blotch in 
the throat is also much paler and smaller than in the 
original form. 
THE SCARLET TRUMPET 
HONEYSUCKLE. 
This is Lonicera sempervirens, and it is an evergreen 
twining shrub. If it only possessed the sweet fragrance 
of the common Woodbine, its usefulness would be 
greatly enhanced ; but handsome as the flowers are, 
they are yet inodorous. I daresay if we had a com¬ 
petent and infallible interpreter of all the doings of 
Nature in the vegetable kingdom, we should find she 
has good reason for making some of the species of a 
genus of plants sweetly odorous, and some wanting 
entirely in the fragrant quality. Were every flower 
fragrant, the sweet incense would become unbearable 
because so common, and we should be petitioning the 
London County Council to suppress Rimmel’s shop in 
the Strand as a public nuisance. Happily, no such 
necessity exists, for nature gives us but just enough of 
perfume in flowers and plants to make it delightful to 
the sense of smell, and refreshing to the body. 
We owe much to North America for many valuable 
trees and shrubs, and the Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle 
came from there in 1656, so that it is an old friend—a 
sort of Methusaleh in British plant culture. It is an 
evergreen twining shrub, the flowers being produced in 
short spikes, scarlet outside, yellow inside, and tubular 
in shape. It is a somewhat tender plant, and even in 
the south and home counties should be planted in a 
sheltered position ; but it well repays any extra trouble 
in this respect by the luxuriance with which it produces 
its blossoms. 
One object I have in calling attention to this showy 
plant is to point out how very useful it is for forcing 
into bloom in spring. It is readily propagated by 
means of cuttings made of the first growths put forth 
in spring. If these are well looked after when struck— 
and they strike freely if put into pots of light sandy 
soil, and plunged in a gentle bottom heat—they will 
grow to a height of from 4 ft. to 6 ft. by August, in 
48-sized pots. Such plants come in very useful for 
forcing into bloom, for it is an excellent forcing climber. 
I have seen it used with good-effect in floral decorations, 
and sometimes wonder it is not more generally employed. 
The common name, Honeysuckle—from the Anglo- 
Saxon hunig-sucle —is a name that is now applied to the 
Woodbine, which is another common name, but it is 
said to be very doubtful as to what plant it properly 
belongs. By Parkinson and other herbalists it is 
assigned to the Meadow Clover, which in our western 
counties is still designated the Honeysuckle. It would 
appear that it was applied to the Woodbine, on account 
of the honey-dew so plentifully deposited on its leaves. 
It is worthy of notice that the French Honeysuckle, 
Hedysarum coronarium, is a plant used on the Con¬ 
tinent for forage, as the Meadow Clover is with us. 
Woodbine means a creeper that will entwine trees, as 
the Honeysuckle does. 
The French are fond of planting Honeysuckle in 
their cemeteries, and Alphonse Karr has described it as 
a plant which seems to devote itself to the tomb, the 
most magnificent bushes being found in cemeteries.— 
R. D. 
--»$<-- 
LATHYRUS DRUMMONDI. 
Whilst there appears to be on the part of botanists a 
determination to regard Lathyrus Drummondi as but 
another name for Lathyrus rotundifolius, there seems 
to be some reason to believe that Drummondi may 
exist under the name of rotundifolius and vice vcrsd ; 
hence the opinion as to identity held. Last year I was 
furnished with seeds of what were described as rotundi¬ 
folius, and also as rotundifolius giganteus ; as to any 
distinction between these two forms I have not yet 
been able to discern, but stronger growth may reveal 
it. 
But with the seeds in question I sowed at the same 
timemy own saved seed of Drummondi. Theselatter were 
of a flattish round form, the seeds of the rotundifolius 
varieties being larger and flat; indeed, there was as 
prominent distinction between the two forms as 
between ordinary seed Peas and dwarf French Bean 
seed. The growth was about the same, as also general 
appearance, the first year. Last spring the plants were 
put out into the open ground, and although there is 
undoubted similarity throughout, yet the plants of 
Drummondi are well in bloom, whilst not a flower will 
be open on rotundifolius for a week. The stems of the 
latter are paler or greener than are those of the former, 
and are longer jointed, whilst I cannot fully aver that 
these diversities are chronic, and may be transient; but 
still I think it will be found that the two forms are 
not identical. 
