600 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 7, 1894. 
FIiORICOliTOt^E. 
A Tulip Show for the South. 
Tulip lovers will rejoice to learn that arrangements 
have been made between the Royal National Tulip 
Society, which has its headquarters in Lancashire, 
and the Royal Horticultural Society, to hold an 
exhibition of Tulips in connection with the show to 
be held in the Temple Gardens on May 23rd should 
the season be propitious for that date. As far as 
can be seen, however, at present this date will be 
too late, as the fine weather is forcing things on 
apace ; but should it be found necessary later on to 
make a change, the meeting at the Drill Hall on 
May 8th will be the venue selected. 
We understand that though our northern friends 
have very kindly undertaken to promote the move¬ 
ment to re-introduce the Tulip as a florists’ flower 
into the south, they will be glad to hand over the 
management of a southern section of the Society as 
soon as the southern florists will take it over, and we 
sincerely hope that the effort made this season will 
be such as to warrant tbeconsummation of that event. 
The Royal National Tulip Society has valued and 
respected executive officers in its President, the 
Rev. F. D. Horner, Lowfields, Burton-in-Lonsdale ; 
its Secretary, Mr. James W. Bentley, Stakehill 
House, Castleton, near Manchester; and its 
Treasurer, Mr. Charles W. Needham Roy ley, 
Royton, Manchester, to whom all true florists owe a 
debt of gratitude for their spirited action in this 
matter. 
The schedule of prizes which has just been issued 
comprises seven classes, six of them being for twelve 
and six dissimilar rectified Tulips, three feathered, 
three flamed, and six dissimilar breeders ; while the 
seventh is the Samuel Barlow prize for the best 
pair of rectified Tulips, one feathered and one 
flamed, of any class, and confined to amateurs only. 
It should be added that the exhibition will be held 
strictly on florists’ lines, and the method of judging 
adopted will be that which the northern florists 
believe in. 
--S--- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The subjects described below were exhibited at the 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 
27th inst., and received certificates according to 
merit. 
Asparagus plumosus Sanderi.— A large plant of 
this new variety was exhibited by the St. George’s 
Nursery Co , Hanwell. Although about 6ft. high 
with several strong stems, it was only 18 months old. 
The ultimate twiglets generally called the leaves of 
the plant were only about one-eighth of an inch long. 
The result is that the sprays are characterised by 
much grace and elegance. We have seen some¬ 
thing closely similar to it before if indeed it is any¬ 
thing but the same thing ; but no one seems to have 
had the courage to bring it before the public. First- 
class Certificate. 
Beaumontia grandiflora superba. —This stove 
climber is now pretty well known, but few seem to 
be able to flower it. The oblong, leathery leaves 
are evergreen, and of large size. The flowers of the 
type are about 5 in. long, while those of the vaiiety 
under notice are 6 in. to in. long. They are 
funnel-shaped with a shortly five-lobed mouth, pure 
white and powerfully but agreeably fragrant. 
First-class Certificate. The exhibitor was Earl 
Cowper (gardener, Mr. Fitt), Hertford. 
AnTHURIUM ScHERZERIANUM ATRO-PURPURJiU-M.— 
The leaves of this strong growing variety are of 
large size, leathery and deep green. The spathe is 
also of large size, nearly orbicular, and of a rich, 
crimson-red. First-class Certificate. Exhibited by 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Amaryllis Olympia.— The flower of this variety 
has a very short tube, and a campanulate or widely 
expanded lamina of a brilliant scarlet, slightly rugose 
on the surface, and having a six-rayed, greenish star 
running about half way down the flower. Award of 
Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons. 
Caladium Gaspard Crayer. —The leaves of this 
variety are of moderate size, and of a deep metallic 
red in the centre, the midrib and lateral nerves 
being brighter. This colour gradually gives place 
to green towards the margin. Award of Merit. 
The exhibitors were Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons. 
Primrose Elizabeth Brodie. —-This belongs to 
the same strain as the blue Primroses for which G. 
F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., Wisly and Weybridge, is 
so famous. This, however, shows a departure from 
the other varieties and might be described as of a 
deep plum purple overlaid with blue. The eye is 
small and golden yellow. Award of Merit. 
Primrose Queen of Whites. —For a Primrose, 
the flowers of this are cf great size, measuring ij in. 
to if in. across. They are pure white with excep¬ 
tion of the five-lobed orange eye. The habit of the 
plant is very dwarf. 
Forsythia Intermedia. —This shrub is con¬ 
sidered intermediate between F. suspensa and F. 
viridissima. The stems or shoots have somewhat 
' of the stoutness of the latter ; but a greater difference 
probably exists in the leaves, which are of course m t 
yet developed. The flowers are as large as those of 
F. suspensa. Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs 
Paul & Son, Cheshunt. 
Amaryllis Novelty. —The flowers of this variety 
are funnel-shaped, and rosy-magenta with deeper 
veins. The greenish white rays run down the 
segments for about three-fourths of their length. 
The filaments are white and the anthers yellow. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. Paul and 
Son. 
- •i* - 
USES OF GAS LIME. 
I FAIL to see how the question, “ For what purpose 
is gas lime of value?” can be regarded as absurd 
because its value is not generally recognised. So 
far from that being the case a better reason for 
asking the question could hardly be given. Gas 
lime has, in its application to soils, so far as my 
experience has gone, rarely been recommended as a 
manurial constituent. All the same it is evident 
that those scientific authorities who so strongly 
deprecated its use did not know what so many 
practical men know, that it is, on very stiff clayey 
lands, a great purifier or deodoriser ; still further, 
that it is one of the most potent factors we have in 
ridding the soil of certain insect and fungoid pests, 
and for such purposes it is constantly advised. 
Whatsoever of harm to soil or vegetation arises at 
any time from the application of gas lime is due to 
its lavish use, and failing to allow it to be properly 
pulverised and aerated by exposure. If, however, it 
be thus treated by exposure on the soil for several 
weeks in the winter, or be mixed with three times 
its proportion of rough soil, such as road scrapings, 
ditch cleanings, etc., and allowed to be turned 
once or twice during the year, it will then make 
a capital dressing for land that needs a strong 
insecticide or fungicide. 
At the present moment we find gardeners strongly 
recommending its use as described for the destruc¬ 
tion of the larvae of the Onion maggot. Any form 
of dressing that would get rid of that pest would 
render great service to gardening, and answer 
effectively the question which “ W. P. R.” derides as 
foolish. Then for cleaning land that is cabbage 
sick or impregnated with slimy fungus, it is most 
valuable, and many are the proofs given from time to 
time that its application has destroyed " club ” germs 
and enabled all forms of Brassica to grow where it 
has been difficult previously. Are we to ignore 
such a potent remedy as this gas lime is for so many 
ills in our gardens because some professor chooses 
to deprecate it. That would indeed be foolish. I 
venture, in closing this note, to quote that eminent 
manurial authority. Dr. A. B. Griffiths, whose 
remarks on gas lime merit attention. He says :— 
■' Lime is used in the purification of coal gas. The 
residue after purification is known as gas lime. It 
is essentially a mixture of calcium hydrate (slacked 
lime) and calcium carbonate, together with sulphite 
and sulphide of lime. The two latter compounds 
alone are poisonous to plant life, but they are both 
converted into gypsum or sulphate of lime (a plant 
food) by exposing the gas lime to the action of the 
atmosphere. Gas lime is best applied in the 
autumn, at the rate of two to five tons per acre. 
This manure has much less agricultural value than 
quick lime or chalk. ” Now here is proof scientifi¬ 
cally that exposure not only renders gas lime harm¬ 
less to plant life, but positively converts its 
deleterious elements into plant food, though very 
weak foods. Still it is evident that the information 
given has a common sense basis. As to the uses of 
gas lime for the destruction of insect or fungoid 
pests. Dr. Griffiths says nothing, because he is 
simply writing about manures. The rest, however, 
we, as practical gardeners, know, and, knowing, are 
not so stupid as to refrain from employing so 
valuable a remedy.— A. D. 
ANEW HYBRID STREPTOCARPUS- 
It would appear that Kew has again taken the lead 
in hybridising two rernarkable species of Strepto- 
carpus, namely S. Dunnii and S. Wendlandii, both 
of which are characterised by having only a single 
leaf of huge proportions and large cymes of flowers. 
They are practically giants amongst their kind ; but 
the enormous size of their solitary leaf is somewhat 
against them to be widely cultivated. That pecu¬ 
liarity can, however, be overcome by hybridisation 
with other species or their improved seedlings, which 
develop several leaves, and being likewise dwarfer, 
are more amenable for pot culture. When this has 
been done there is no telling what will be the extent 
of their popularity. Three plants of the above 
hybrid may be seen in the Begonia house, and they 
are as closely identical as possible with one another, 
but intermediate between the parents. They have a 
single leaf that is pale red beneath, having lost the 
deep rusty red of S. Dunnii and the deep purple of 
S. Wendlandii. Each plant has several cymes of 
flowers, ranging from 6 in. to 2 ft. high or nearly so. 
The flowers are mostly borne at the top in each case, 
and are very numerous as in the case of S. Dunnii, 
but the form of the much branched cyme is like 
that of the other parent. They are intermediate in 
size and the expansion of the lamina, but _the elon¬ 
gated tube takes after S. Dunnii. Their colour is a 
rich purple, more or less distinctly tinted with violet 
when they first expand, and the throat or lower side 
of the tube is spotted wtth crimson. Though the 
plants do not yet possess the desired habit, the 
great number of flowers and their rich colour make 
them handsome, effective and uncommon in appear¬ 
ance. 
-- 
VEGETABLE MARROWS. 
Next to Scarlet Runners these are everybody’s 
vegetable, and when young and tender are choice 
enough for a peer, while when plentiful, they are 
largely consumed by cottagers, both in town and 
country. Allotment holders and cottagers grow 
them largely, and too often, from uneducated taste, 
very large and coarse. Judges at country shows have 
a useful work before them for some years in teach¬ 
ing by precept and example the superiority of young, 
quickly grown samples by giving them the prefer- 
ance when judging over large, overgrown samples^ 
The prevailing idea in some quarters appears to be 
that the largest Marrows should secure the best 
prizes. They should, however, be gathered and 
served up when from a fourth to a sixth of their full 
size. For myself, I prefer to cook them whole, 
without removing the skin, and in this connection I 
may say that Vegetable Marrow marmalade is much 
best made from young fruit. 
To have Vegetable Marrows at their best, rapid 
growth is a most essential condition, and they are 
then sure to be good, but if grown slowly they are 
often tough and bitter. I have grown them trained 
like Cucumbers under glass, and found them very 
serviceable during April and May, and if placed on 
the market early they will often fetch a better price 
than Cucumbers. For early work, Hibberd's Pro¬ 
lific is by far the best. The ordinary routine of 
cultivation in private places is to sow them in heat 
during April, potting them off singly into four or six 
inch pots as soon as the plants have formed a rough 
leaf, keeping them close till re-established, and 
hardening them off gradually until they are well 
inured to the open air by the end of May, when, but 
not before, unless some protection can be given, 
they should be planted out either in a prepared open 
quarter or on heaps of decaying leaves, manure, or 
rubbish heaps. They grow amazingly on these, and 
serve to disguise wFat would otherwise be more or 
less an eyesore during the bright summer time. 
Rough, unseemly fences may alike be hidden from 
view and made a source of profit into the bargain : 
but although they grow, as remarked, most luxurious, 
in these positions, I have found them more pro¬ 
ductive in an open quarter on the level ground, that 
had been well trenched and manured purposely for 
them. 
