September 16, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
39 
be of the other. Therefore, the best fruits of the 
Vine family are those with the least or lowest re-pro¬ 
ductive qualities. Gardeners with keen observation 
note the fact that the old Melon, Cucumber, and 
Squash seeds are—without having lost their ger¬ 
minating power—the belter, as the proportion of 
flesh to the seed is greater and the Vines are more 
productive of fruit and less inclined to throw out 
branches. The older the seed the lower is its 
vitality, and the greater is Nature's effort to pre¬ 
serve it. As the careful mother doubly protects the 
feeble child against cold, so Mother Nature pro¬ 
tects the seeds of low vitality with extra covering. 
The Melon has more flesh when grown from old 
seed, because of its low vitality. 
The same is notably true with the Egg plant, 
which is a native of North Africa and the East 
Indies. In these warm climates the fruit grows fro^n 
4in. to 5 in. in diameter, and abounds with seed, 
filling the flesh nearly to the rind. As its cultivation 
extends northwards the fruit increases in size, while 
the amount of seed diminishes. Thus, Nature 
guards her productions by enlarging the pericarp or 
fruit, in order that the seeds may be better protected 
against cold, which would destroy their vitality. 
The variety known as the New York Improved 
Purple, grown from seeds raised as far north as New 
York City, yield a crop, both as regards size and 
quantity, far in excess of the plants grown from 
seeds produced in the Southern States. The reason 
for this is obvious. Nature, being a strict econo¬ 
mist, does not work in the interest either of the 
seedsman or the market gardener. Her object and 
sole aim is to preserve and perpetuate the species ; 
and when the plant has furnished the proper amount 
of seed, nothing further is required of it. If a plant 
grown in a temperate climate produces in a single 
fruit only one-fourth the quantity of seeds which it 
usually yields in a warm climate, it follows that four 
times the number of fruits must be produced to ac¬ 
complish the desired result. And this is what the 
Egg plant does at the North, when raised from 
Northern grown seeds. 
[To he continued). 
- ^ - 
ARDENING fllSCELLANY. 
EARLY BULBS. 
No time should be lost in securing and potting up 
such bulbs as Roman Hyacinths, and others of the 
Hyacinth and Tulip tribe that are wanted for early 
flowering. If potted now, and stood in a cool pit or 
frame for a few weeks previous to being introduced 
into heat, the bulbs will make a quantity of roots 
and be able to support the top growth much better 
later on. No bulbs do well if started in heat directly 
they are potted. It has a tendency to cause top 
growth in advance of root action. But if the roots 
have a good start first, the tops will come on very 
rapidly later on, and be far better in quality. Good 
drainage, fairly rich soil, and abundance of water as 
soon as their roots are well at work is all that the 
majority of bulbs require. I may name as among a 
few that should be attended to at once, the follow¬ 
ing ;—Freesias, Alliums, Lachenalias, a few of the 
early Narcissus, Roman Hyacinths, Lilium Harrisii, 
L. candidum, Ixias, and Sparixis. Out of doors, 
most of the hardier Lilies can be seen to, while no 
time should be lost in planting out Calochortus; 
these last must have a very dry and warm position, 
when they are among the most showy and unique 
flowers we have.— Experience. 
LOASA LATERITIA. 
The species of Loasa are not particularly suitable 
for cut flower purposes on account of their stinging 
properties which, although irritating for a short 
time to those who handle them carelessly and get 
stung, never as far as we know prove serious to 
anybody. Nor does the smarting pain remain so 
long as in the case of the common Nettle. The 
flowers on the other hand are often very showy and 
highly ornamental when used for ordinary garden 
decorative purpose. That under notice has large 
and conspicuous brick red flowers. The stems are 
sometimes described as prostrate, but that is not 
really the case, for the species is a twiner, and if 
furnished with a few stakes, will run up to a height 
of 3ft. or 4ft. It is an annual and therefore very 
suitable for sowing at the foot of trellises, it is 
intended to hide as is the case at the Portland Road 
Nursery of Meesrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. Here 
the plants had been sown against a trellis near the gate, 
and this they effectually cover with their foliage and 
have bloomed wonderfully, notwithstanding the dry 
weather. The Loasas do not seem to be half so' 
detrimentally affected by excessive drought as many 
other annuals have been, as we have seen others 
doing well elsewhere lately. 
MEALY-BUG ON VINES. 
Where mealy-bug gets a footing on Vines it is a 
source of great annoyance, leading to the disfigure¬ 
ment of the bunches from which it is difficult to dis¬ 
lodge them without materially damaging the appear¬ 
ance of the berries. It may be of service to seme of 
your readers who have the misfortune to have bug 
on their vines, to hear of a simple plan by which it 
can be prevented from getting among the berries. It 
seems to be effective, and costs little for time or 
material, the operation consisting simply in fastening 
a good piece of cotton-wool around the junction of 
the fruit stalk with the wood. The bug cannot, it is 
said, travel over the wadding, and the plan is said, by 
some who follow it extensively, to answer perfectly. 
Still, it ought only to be looked upon as a palliative 
in cases of emergency, and every effort should be 
made during the winter months to clear the Vines of 
the pest.— W. B. G. 
AILANTUS GLANDULOSA. 
I HAD thought that as a result of the prolonged summer 
heat we should have found this tree flowering by 
now, but up to the present have been disappointed. 
Considering that it is one of the most distinct 
deciduous trees we have, quick growing and hand¬ 
some, it ought to be more common than it is. 
Possibly, there are more who are acquainted with its 
beauty, as used in sub-tropical work, than with it 
when allowed to grow naturally, when it attains the 
dimensions of a forest tree. When cut down to the 
ground annually, as in the London parks, the young 
shoots grow up very rapidly, and develope foliage of 
much larger proportions than is attained on branches 
of large trees.— W. 
LOTUS PELIORHYNCHUS. 
The flowers of this handsome plant are totally unlike 
any of our European species of the genus and very 
handsome. In many respects they resemble those 
of Clianthus. They are curved in a similar manner 
and bright scarlet; the standard or upper petals is 
recurved and stands away from the rest like a spur 
or horn, and has a black stripe down the centre. 
The pendent stems and branches are furnished with 
slender, linear leaflets. It has now been introduced 
upwards of twenty years from the Island of Teneriffe, 
where it grows amongst the precipitous rocks in the 
ravine of Tamadava; but it is still comparatively 
rare in collections. Mr. F. Desbois, a nurseryman 
at Mont St. Amand, keeps it in the open air during 
summer and in a cool greenhouse in winter. It will 
grow and thrive in any light soil, from well decom¬ 
posed farmyard manure to old peat soil. In the 
open ground the plants grow vigorously, but flower 
little if at all. It may be propagated at any time of 
the year, but spring is the best time. In May or 
June the plants are potted up, and repotted once or 
twice afterwards as they require it, pinching the 
leading shoots till autumn. When they have been 
encouraged to grow with a little extra heat, they will 
flower from May to July. They should be hung up 
near the glass well exposed to sunshine. A coloured 
plate of the species is given in the Revue de I'Horti- 
culture Beige for September. 
NICOTIANA AFFINIS. 
This sweet-scented form of the Tobacco plant 
has been particularly showy in many cottage gardens 
in my neighbourhood. All through the summer, 
and the 'present autumn, it has been one mass of 
pure white blossoms. In a cool house it is one of 
the grandest summer blooming subjects we have, 
and may always be relied upon to produce a fine 
show. In the hall, corridor, or conservatory, it is 
.probably surpassed by no other annual. If sown in 
February or March, grown on in a greenhouse 
temperature and with generous treatment, the plants 
will bloom early in the summer. These early-sown 
plants are also much best for putting out of doors, 
choosing the same time as one would for the more 
tender bedding plants. Planted out into a rich soil 
we soon see what this grand annual is capable of. 
Under glass it needs fumigation occasionally, for, 
strange as it may seem, the aphis attacks it con¬ 
siderably. — Experience. 
TECOMA GRANDIFLORA. 
To be thoroughly at home, this climber requires the 
protection of a greenhouse ; but as it is nearly hardy, 
many cultivators in favourable districts plant it 
against a wall in the open air. The mild and 
equable climate of the south and west coasts of 
England is most favourable to the development of 
its flowers under those conditions. Inland, the 
flowers only reach the bud stage, as a rule, when the 
first severe frost puts an end to their existence, and, 
of course, the planter fails to enjoy the beauty of 
the flowers. T. radicans flowers earlier in any season 
than its congener, and in the southern counties it 
seldom fails to produce a quantity of bloom. The 
latter is a native of North America, whereas T. 
grandiflora comes from Japan and China. The 
present warm and dry year has hastened its blooming, 
and we were furnished with a panicle of bloom by a 
correspondent in the south-west of England, with 
whom it has flowered for the first time during the last 
three years. The dark orange-red flowers were of a 
buff orange externally, and the lamina measured over 
2| in. across each way. The species may. be dis¬ 
tinguished from T. radicans by the much more ex¬ 
panded condition of the flowers, and by the tube not 
being much longer than the calyx. The plant, when 
well flowered, has an effective appearance, as it is 
uncommon. 
ABUTILON MEGAPOTAMICUM. 
This graceful Abutilon has been dispersed over the 
country under various other names, including that of 
A. vexillarium. It is a native of the Rio Grande, a 
large river in Brazil and the specific name (big 
river) relates to that circumstance. It makes a good 
pot plant, but looks more at home when planted out 
and trained up the rafters of a cool greenhouse. In 
the warmer and more sheltered places of the south 
it proves hardy and has an engaging appearance 
when trained over a wall. The calyx is five angled 
and when well exposed to sunshine, or when grown 
in the open air, is of a crimson red, contrasting with 
the pale yellow petals, while the anthers are 
crimson. The flowers are naturally pendulous, and 
in that respect resembling a Fuchsia to some extent. 
The variety with variegated leaves is a favourite 
with some growers for its spotted leaves, but unless 
watched with care is liable to throw out green shoots 
which soon overpower the rest, so that the plant 
ultimately reverts to the green state. When pro¬ 
pagating the plant, the best variegated shoots should 
be selected. 
ANODA HASTATA. 
Some of the stronger growing annuals of the 
Mallow family are very popular for border decoration, 
but as the same sorts are selected year after year, 
they present a considerable amount of sameness. 
That under notice is different in appearance, and in 
the colour of the flowers which are usually rosy-red 
or white in the species of Lavatera and Malope, but 
in this case, purple, ultimately fading to a lilac or 
blue-purple, with a white eye and stamens. The 
large, erect flowers are produced singly and succes¬ 
sively in the axils of the leaves, and are cup-shaped 
at first, but ultimately spread wide open, except at 
the very base. The leaves are halbert-shaped, 
clothing red or green, much branched stems that rise 
to a height of 2 ft. to 3 ft. The plant is a native of 
North America, and as easily grown as an annual 
Lavatera, but it is, nevertheless, but seldom seen 
outside of botanic gardens. 
HIPPEASTRUM BRACHYANDRUM. 
Most of the species of this genus require a high 
temperature and treatment under glass to flower 
them satisfactorily, but that under notice can be 
flowered in the open air during the summer months. 
It is a native of Brazil on the banks of the River 
Parana, which, uniting with the Uruguay river, falls 
into or forms the great estuary known as the Rio de 
la Plata. The flowers are funnel-shaped with 
scarcely any tube, and are pink, with deeper lines on 
the upper two-thirds of their length. The base is 
dark crimson with a white circle of hairs closing the 
throat. As the name implies, the stamens are short, 
and do not extend beyond the crimson base. 
Having only one flower to a scape it greatly 
resembles a Zephyranthes on casual observation. 
The leaves appear later than the flowers. 
Numerous bulbs flowered well recently in the open 
air at Kew. Should it prove hardy or nearly so it 
will add another interesting plant to the hardy bulb 
border. 
