472 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 24, 1894. 
able, but to make amends for this the petaloid 
branches of the style are large and of a beautiful 
pale blue colour. It is a native of Persia, from 
whence it was originally introduced, but also occurs 
in the southern and middle parts of Asia Minor. 
When planted in the open ground it flowers during 
March, varying somewhat according to the nature of 
the season and the shelter which it enjoys. In cold 
frames it flowers rather earlier, and so grown has 
been in bloom with Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, for 
some time past. 
THE ONION GRUB. 
Like your esteemed correspondent, " W. P. R.,” 
p. 438, I .have tried almost everything to get rid of 
this most aggravating insect. I have soaked the 
land with diluted paraffin, and used soot on the bed 
when the young plants were up, and last summer 
when we had a long spell of dry weather the beds 
were copiously watered from a liquid manure tank, 
but still the grub played wretched havoc. An old 
gardener calling to have a look round exclaimed, 
when he saw the Onions, " Oh, you should get a 
copper of boiling water and give it them through the 
course rose of a large watering pot, they will stand 
it, and it will kill all the flies that produce the 
grubs.” Rather a drastic remedy, I thought, but 
still I tried it on a portion of the crop, and the 
Onions did stand the hot water, but so did the grub 
too. Spring sown Onions have been a failure now 
for four years in succession, and the autumn sown 
ones go off just as bad, but we sow a greater breadth 
in autumn, and what do escape we transplant, and 
these turn out very satisfactorily. In fact, we have 
to rely now on autumn sown plants transplanted in 
spring. In the spring of 1892 the young Leeks in 
the seed bed nearly all went off, and I could scarcely 
get the required number to fill a row a few yards 
long. Our Shallots and Garlic last summer also 
suffered terribly with the grub. A near neighbour, 
a market gardener on a large scale, sows large 
breadths on some of his land that for many years 
previously has been under agricultural crops, and 
these are pictures of failures, as every one driving or 
walking past can see, so that fresh land is no pre¬ 
ventative. When the plants go off so badly he draws 
what are left and markets them, and soon puts some 
other crop on the land, such as White Turnips for 
winter use. which pay for the previous failure.— 
T. IF., South Norfolk. 
BRUNFELSIA HOPEANA. 
Of all the species of Brunfelsia in cultivation, the 
flowers of B. Hopeana are the smallest, being only 
about the size of a shilling ; but this deficiency in 
size is compensated for by their great number. 
They are violet-purple when they first expand, but 
they soon fade to white with five bluish rays, or 
ultimately pure white. There is a plant in the 
Palm house at Kew about 18 in. high, and which 
has been gay with bloom for weeks past. As the 
flowers are of all stages of growth upon the plant, 
the mixture of colours is very striking and orna¬ 
mental They emit a powerful and delicious odour, 
which may be compared with that of the Mock 
Orange or Philadelphus. The leaves are relatively 
small and lanceolate. The species is of smaller 
dimensions and more twiggy than the larger- 
flowered species. Being a native of Brazil it 
requires stove temperature, and is more deserving 
of culture than growers seem to imagine. 
PROPAGATING BY RINGING. 
This is an exceedingly easy mode of securing a per¬ 
fect plant in a short time, and there are perhaps but 
few gardeners who are not familiar with the tnodus 
operandi. This may not be the case, however, with 
amateurs, so that a few remarks on the subject may 
not be untimely. The present is a good time to take 
any subject to be dealt with in hand, but it may be 
done at any time when the sap is running freely. 
The operation may be described as follows:—Take 
a plant that has a leggy appearance, but a good 
head, and strip off the lower leaves that are inclined 
to come off easily, then with a sharp knife cut a 
ring about half way through the stem, and about 
4 in. from the lowest leaves. To keep the incision 
open, as is necessary, insert one or two small 
wedges, and thin ones will suffice. Then make a 
plaster of some damp sphagnum moss with a layer 
of silver sand on the top, and tie it firmly round the 
incision. To make a better job of it still, knock a 
5-in. pot into half, make the hole in the bottom 
large enough to enclose the stem of the plant, fix it 
into position by means of a peg passed through#the 
stem, fasten the two halves of the pot together with 
wire, and then fill in round the moss with a light, 
sandy compost. Keep the pot well watered till small 
rootlets show through the bottom, when the top may 
be cut off and potted up in the usual way. Small 
Crotons and Dracaenas will root beautifully into 
the moss alone, and it is not necessary to use pots in 
the case of small subjects.— J. G. Pettinger, Straw¬ 
berry Dale Nursery, Harrogate. 
ERICA PERSOLUTA ALBA. 
The habit of this Heath is more elegant and grace¬ 
ful than that of the autumn-flowering E. caffra, 
which has also white flowers. The latter in both 
cases are small, bell-shaped and produced in great 
abundance, but in the case of E. persoluta the 
plant is taller and the branches longer, so that the 
aggregate quantity of flowers is greater. It is an 
old-fashioned Heath found in many old gardens, but 
not enjoying the same popularity for market pur¬ 
poses. Why this should be it is difficult to say, for 
it would seem to be as accommodating a plant if 
not more so than the other. Of course the two 
species do not conflict with one another, because 
E. caffra flowers in the autumn, while E. persoluta 
alba flowers in spring. The latter has been flowering 
for some time past in the nursery of Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea. 
ERICA SPENCERIANA. 
Notwithstandi.ng the neglect with which many 
hard-wooded subjects are treated, they make their 
appearance in fine form occasionally under the care 
of those who take them in hand. The subject of 
this notice is a garden hybrid partaking somewhat 
of the character of E. hyemalis and E. Wilmoreana, 
but different from either, and in our opinion superior 
from a decorative point of view. E. hyemalis is 
now, however, out of bloom, so that E. Spenceriana 
takes its place and is a very good substitute. The 
flowers are produced in great abundance from the 
short side shoots of the previous year, so that the 
strong upright shoots appear like pyramids of bloom. 
The cylindrical corolla is of a beautiful rosy-purple 
dilated at the mouth, which is pure white, thus 
making a beautiful contrast. The earliest plants 
have been in bloom for some time and a succession 
will be continued on for some time into summer. It 
is therefore a highly desirable kind for greenhouse 
and conservatory decoration, and should be much 
better known in private gardens generally. It would 
belong to the so-called soft-wooded class, and could 
therefore be cut back after flowering, both to keep it 
within reasonable limits and to encourage strong 
young shoots, for from such the largest quantity of 
flowers is obtained. 
-- 
THE BIRMINGHAM SPRING FLOWER 
SHOW. 
The fourteenth annual exhibition was held in the 
Town Hall, March 13th and 14th, and although the 
exhibits were not so numerous as heretofore, owing 
to the exhibition being fixed for an'earlier date than 
usual, a considerable degree of excellence was found 
throughout the very attractive exhibition. Hyacinths 
were a leading feature, and there was a fine display 
of themj In the class for eighteen in the open 
classes, Mr. Earp, gardener to the Right Hon. Joseph 
Chamberlain, M.P., was first ; Mr. W. H. Dyer, 
gardener to Mrs. Marigold, second; and Mr. J. 
Priest, gardener to A. W. Hulse, Esq., third. For 
both twelve and six Hyacinths Mr. Dyer was first ; 
Mr. Priest, second ; and Mr. J. Beasley, gardener 
to N. Thwaites, Esq., third. For six pots of single 
Tulips: first, Mr. Dyer; second, Mr. J. Priest; 
third, Mr. Earp ; and for three pots Mr. Earp was 
first; Mr. Priest, second; and Mr. Beasley, third. 
For six pots of Lily of the Valley: first, Mr. G. 
Hancox, West Bromwich ; second, Mr. Beasley; 
third, Mr. Priest. 
Of Dielytras, Spiraeas, and Deutzias, good speci¬ 
mens of all were staged ; also Mollis Azaleas and 
Cinerarias. The specimen Azalea indica, both in 
the six, three, and single specimen classes, were all 
well won with grand plants staged by Mr. J. Palmer, 
gardener to Wm. Brown, Esq.; Mrs. Grice and T. 
Clayton, Esq., also showing in the classes for three 
and a single specimen. In the class for six stove and 
greenhouse plants, Mr. Fewkes, gardener to T. 
Clayton, Esq., Castle Bromwich, was first with 
some fine specimens, especially a Dendrobium 
nobile and Coelogyne cristata; and the same 
exhibitor was first for three Genistas with hand¬ 
some well-flowered pyramidal specimens. Some 
excellent bouquets were staged, Mrs. Grice taking 
the lead; and Mr. Earp, Highbury Gardens, was 
first for a collection of stove and greenhouse 
flowers. 
In the classes for Palms these were arrayed along 
the centre of thfc hall, and the Azaleas, stove and 
greenhouse plants. Genistas, Deutzias, and other 
plants were pleasingly arranged on either side. Some 
excellent bouquets were staged, Mrs. Grice being the 
chief prize-winner. Some excellent stands of stove 
and greenhouse flowers were staged: first. Right Hon. 
J. Chamberlain, M.P.; second, Mr. Herbert 
Chamberlain; third, Mr. Powell. Groups of flower¬ 
ing plants were a charming feature, and here again 
Mr. Earp was first; Mr. Powell, gardener to .G. H. 
Kenrick, Esq. second ; and Mr. Dyer third. 
Orchids were a distinct feature of the exhibition, 
and Mr. J. Palmer, gardener to Wm. Brown, Esq., 
showed remarkably well, his specimens in the 
classes for six, three, and single specimens being 
very fine, and won first prize in each class, and was 
first also for a beautiful group. There was an 
excellent competition for Messrs. Thomson’s prizes 
for twelve pots of Hyacinths, as well as for twelve 
pots of Tulips. For the Hyacinths: first, N. 
Thwaites, Esq.; second, Mrs. Marigold; third, T. 
Clayton, Esq.; fourth, A. W. Hulse, Esq. For the 
Tulips Mr. Earp was first; Mr. Priest, second ; and 
Mr. G. Newell, third. 
For Messrs. Thomson’s prizes for their strain of 
Cinerarias Mr. Powell was first. Mr. Dyer was 
first for Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ special prizes for 
their strain of Cinerarias, a very fine lot ; and Mr. 
Earp, gardener to the Right Hon. J. Chamberlain, 
M.P., took the first prize for their strain of Cycla¬ 
mens. Mr. Robert Sydenham offered special prizes 
for hwelve pots of Narcissus, and there was an 
excellent competition for these prizes. First, Mr. 
Earp, gardener to Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, with a 
very fine lot : second, Mr. Herbert Chamberlain ; 
third, N. Thwaites, Esq.; fourth, A. W. Hulse, Esq. 
The honorary exhibits by the local nurserymen 
were, as they always are here, o^-a very meritorious 
character. Messrs. Thomson & Co. staged a hand¬ 
some group of plants in the hall, and another very 
fine group of Hyacinths, Tulips, Cyclamens, etc., 
on the stages, and were also awarded certificates for 
plants of new Chinese Primulas—Princess May, 
Duke of York, Mont Blanc, and Fairy Queen, all 
acquisitions. Messrs. Hewitt & Co. had a fine group 
of Cyclamens and Azaleas ; Messrs. Pope & Son a 
grand memorial cross ; and Mr. Robert Sydenham 
a fine group of Hyacinths, Narcissi, and Tulips. 
Spinach. 
The leaves of this plant play an important part in 
the kitchen during the summer months, for not only 
are they used as a vegetable, the juice being also 
extracted for colouring, therefore they are much in 
request. It is easy enough to grow during the 
spring and early summer, not so, however, when hot 
dry weather sets in, for in such the plants bolt, 
before they are six inches high. During such 
trying times, gardeners who are bound to keep up a 
supply must have recourse to some expedient if they 
would succeed. Some grow as a substitute Spinach 
Beet, while others turn their attention to the culti- 
vaticn of the New Zealand Spinach. This latter 
thrives best in hot weather if the ground is in good 
heart, and as the leaves are of such a dark green they 
are much prized when the others cannot be had. 
It is, however, with the Spinach proper that we are 
now dealing, so will leave the cultivation of the 
others for the present. For early sowings the round 
seeded is the best. On cold heavy land it is useless 
to sow before the month of March. We have sowed 
in January and again six weeks later, and have found 
but little difference in the time they were ready to 
gather. To produce first class juicy leaves, the 
ground needs to be in good tilth, and the plants must 
be allowed plenty of room to develop themselves in 
an early stage. For first sowings some advocate a 
warm border, but as a rule if a sowing be made in 
September of the prickle seeded kind this will give a 
