August 9, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
777 
species is Sarracenia psittacina, the leaves of which 
vary from 2 ins. to 4 ins. in leDgth, and lie down over 
the pot in which the plant is grown. They are marked 
with white spots and veined with purple, as is the 
inflated globose lid which covers the opening of the 
tube. The lid of S. variolaris is hooded, and lies over 
the opening of the tube ; and on this account the 
species is, perhaps, more destructive to insect life than 
any other of this class of plants, with the exception of 
Darlingtonia californica. All of them trap and 
imprison flies for life, and afterwards absorb the 
nutritive matter of their bodies as they decay ; but the 
last two are so constructed that flies seldom, if they 
ever, escape once they have 
been lured within the 
deceptive trap. The upper 
portion of the tube and the 
lid are furnished with white 
translucent window - like 
areas surrounded by crimson 
or purple, and the flies 
doubtless believe they are 
openings through which they 
may pass, and by such 
deception are led into the 
interior. 
Of the garden hybrids, 
S. Chelsoni is one of the 
most commonly grown. 
The pitchers attain a great 
size, and are highly 
coloured with crimson. Its 
parents are S. rubra and S. 
purpurea, and the progeny 
is more richly coloured than 
either. Much more dwarf 
is S. Maddisoniana, a hybrid 
between the interesting S. 
variolaris and S. psittacina. 
The large lid is in¬ 
curved over the pitcher, 
and is heavily netted with 
purple-red veins. S. Mit- 
chelliana is even more richly 
reticulated with red veins, 
deepening to crimson as they 
get old. When well grown 
it is a handsome plant. 
The parents are S. Drum- 
mondi rubra and S. purpurea, 
hence the dwarf and ornate 
character of the progeny. 
Two hybrids between S. pur¬ 
purea and S. flava are fre¬ 
quently grown—namely, S. 
Stevensii and S. Williamsi. 
The former has an undulated 
and crimson lid to the 
pitcher, and the latter are 
marked longitudinally with 
straight dark crimson veins. 
The leaves of S. Williamsi 
are ribbed in the same way 
with dark purple-crimson, 
and the lid is handsomely 
netted with the same colour. 
Like S. Mitchelliana, it is a 
strikingly handsome and 
decorative plant, and both 
should be included in 
collections. 
Besides those already 
given a number of seedlings 
have been obtained by dif¬ 
ferent hybridists between S. 
variolaris and S. psittacina. 
One of these—namely, S. 
Wrigleyana, is figured in The Gardening World, vol. 
v., p. 835. 
The accompanying illustration represents S. decora, 
another beautiful hybrid of the same parentage as S. 
Wrigleyana. The plant forms a compact tuft of leaves 
7 ins. to 9 ins. long, and therefore intermediate in stature 
between the parents. The hooded lid of the pitcher is 
of great size and completely hides the mouth of the 
same as seen from above. The upper portion of the 
inflated tube is pale green, beautifully reticulated and 
suffused with bright crimson surrounding numerous 
large, white, translucent spots. For the opportunity of 
illustrating this beautiful hybrid we are indebted to 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, of Upper Holloway, who 
for many years have grown and exhibited these inter¬ 
esting plants in an admirable manner. 
enumerate the inmates of which is not at all necessary 
here. They are simply charming, something always in 
bloom—something to make you remember the old 
garden of your childhood—the old garden, full of 
dear old-fashioned flowers, more fragrant than showy, 
and from which floated a cloud of perfume, and all of 
them beautiful in looks and odour. What a variety of 
colours is here produced, and what a delicious honeyed 
smell is given off, suggesting something good to eat ! 
The perfume meets you on every side, and abides with 
you all the time you are near the borders. 
The Rose garden is also in close proximity, and fully 
maintains its own. Some carpet bedding was also in 
very good form considering 
the short time Mr. Bennett 
has had to get together a 
stock of plants for the pur¬ 
pose. Time and. space must 
be our excuse for a brief 
notice of the principal points 
of the show, which was 
held in a large marquee, 
the centre of which was 
occupied with some splen¬ 
did groups of ornamental 
plants, put up by Mr. 
Bennett, Mr. Beaton, Mr. 
Wall, and Mr. Meloni. Mr. 
Bennett also showed, not for 
competition, a splendid col¬ 
lection of fruit and vege¬ 
tables, including some 
splendid Grapes, Peaches, 
Nectarines, Melons, Cucum¬ 
bers, Tomatos, &c., all of 
excellent quality. One of 
the great features of the 
show was a collection of 
hardy herbaceous flowers, 
including no less than 
seventy varieties, beautifully 
arranged and exhibited by 
Mr. Wall, gardener to W. 
S. Gilbert, Esq. Special 
mention was made by the 
judges of the flowers ar¬ 
ranged for table decoration by 
Miss Byles and Miss Harland. 
Turning to the general 
classes the competition was 
very keen, and the exhibits 
were put up in splendid con¬ 
dition. To our mind one 
of the special features of the 
show was centred in the 
collections of wild flowers, 
collected by the children 
of the district, the exhibits 
being so meritorious, that 
the three judges, after award¬ 
ing five prizes, each gave 
one extra, and some friends 
added some others, so that no 
less than a dozen prizes 
were awarded. All taken 
together, we thus passed a 
very pleasant day, and hope 
to meet some of our horti¬ 
cultural friends again upon 
a similar occasion.— G. 
SARRACENIAS. 
A collection of these when 
well grown are capable of 
producing a striking effect. 
They may appear tame and 
uninteresting during the time the leaves are young and 
green ; but when matured, and the colours for which 
they are noted well brought out, they are highly 
ornamental. They may be grown by themselves, or in 
association with other plants that delight in a low 
temperature and a rather moist atmosphere. They are 
quite at home with Droseras or Sundews, Pinguiculas 
or Butterworts, some of the Utricularias or Bladder- 
worts, and the singular-looking Darlingtonia californica. 
The Sarracenias have received various popular names, 
such as Side-saddle Flower, Pitcher Plant, Trumpet 
Leaf, and Indian Cup. The Pitcher Plants proper are, 
however, the Nepenthes, that require stove treatment. 
The compost most suitable for Sarracenias is a mixture 
of good fibrous peat and sphagnum. Plenty of drainage 
must be given in order to permit the escape of water 
Sarracenia decora. 
The latter grow to a height of 2 ft., and the upper 
portion, as well as the undulated and revolute lid, are 
richly netted and variegated with purple veins sur¬ 
rounding white translucent areas. The leaves of 
S. flava, including the orbicular lid, but especially the 
latter, are yellow when sufficiently exposed to light 
while being grown. Those of S. rubra are pale green, 
reticulated with purple veins. 
The hardiest species is S. purpurea, with purple 
flowers and short, erect, much-inflated leaves that are 
often suffused and reticulated with purple when the 
plant has been grown with a proper amount of exposure. 
The protection of a hand-light is all that is needed to 
grow and flower this plant in the open air in the 
southern counties; and the same may be said of 
Darlingtonia californica. The dwarfest of all the 
freely, because Sarracenias being naturally bog plants, 
they require large supplies of water during the growing 
season especially, and must not be allowed to get 
particularly dry at any time. The moisture must not, 
however, be allowed to become stagnant, otherwise the 
roots will suffer. 
There are six wild species, all more or less cultivated, 
and of these there are numerous varieties. The garden 
hybrids between the various species are moreover much 
more numerous, and many of them are of a highly 
ornamental character. Sarracenia Drummondi is 
certainly one of, if not the finest of the wild types, on 
account of the conspicuous markings of the leaves. 
