536 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 21, 1894. 
but the basal blotch is obversely heart-shaped, and 
rendered very fascinating by the bright yellow line 
which separates the black from the scarlet. The 
number of species of Tulips at the hands of the 
specialists is now very great, and would make a most 
interesting display during the spring months if any¬ 
one would take them thoroughly in hand. 
MUSCARl FLAVUM. 
To an ordinary observer most of the numerous 
species of Muscari possess a general similarity in 
colour; they are of some shade of blue or white in 
the case ot M. botryoides alba. That under notice 
is, however, of a beautiful yellow, with black tips to 
the teeth of the very short segments. Individually, 
the flowers are oblong and very much larger than 
any other species with which we are acquainted, 
with the exception, perhaps, of M. moschata. The 
leaves are also very broad, deeply grooved, and 
glaucous. No other species in cultivation is exactly 
like it, so that on this account alone it should be 
added to collections. Its fragrance is, however, a 
greater recommendation than anything else; both 
strong and sweet, we hardly know to what we might 
compare it, unless to some of the true Hyacinths. 
It may be seen in the nursery of Messrs. Barr & 
Son, Long Ditton. 
TULIPA GREIGEI. 
In its typical or unaltered form the flowers of this 
species are of a brilliant scarlet with a black blotch 
at the base of each segment internally. Whether 
from seedlings or fresh importations a considerable 
variation in a plantation of bulbs may be seen in the 
nursery of Messrs. Barr & Son, Long Ditton. Some 
of the flowers are of a light uniform orange-scarlet, 
and sufficiently marked to contrast well with the 
type. Another variety is even more distinct, and 
has the three outer segments of a bright golden 
yellow, with an oblong scarlet band along the back, 
while the inner face has a large scarlet blotch near 
the base. The inner segments of the same flower 
are golden yellow with a triangular scarlet blotch on 
the outer face, and a large transverse or reniform one 
on the inner face. These variations are interesting 
and show what might be done with this species if 
anyone were to take it in hand in earnest, and raise 
seedlings either by hybridisation or otherwise. 
Seedlings raised in this country and under our 
climatic and other conditions might give rise to sorts 
better adapted to make headway in gardens as 
easily as Tulipa Gesneriana. The flowers to begin 
with are larger than those of the latter, and their 
colour different, so that a new race might be 
obtained. 
ACACIA CORDATA. 
Several species of Acacia are familiar objects in 
the greenhouse during spring, but that under notice 
is comparatively little known. Those who know it 
acknowledge that it is remarkably graceful and 
elegant. The leaves, or more properly phylloidea, 
are ovate with a slender, bristly point, but very 
small and densely set edgewise upon thin and twiggy 
branches. The small, globular heads of pale lemon 
flowers are densely set upon the twigs of the 
previous year, forming, as it were, cylindrical 
wreaths of bloom of considerable length, according 
to the vigour of the plant. Small bushes about 
i8 in. high blossom very freely, and are useful for 
the decoration of greenhouse or conservatory. It 
may be seen in the nursery of Messrs. J. Laing & 
Sons, Forest Hill. 
PYRUS FLORIBUNDA. 
Few of the smaller trees are more handsome in April 
than the subject of this note; it is hardly large 
enough to be considered a tree by ordinary observers, 
and would doubtless be regarded as a shrub; but its 
usual habit is to develop a single stem of no great 
height, and then to form a broad or spreading, much- 
branched head of twiggy branches. Spurs form in 
great abundance on these shoots and, as the buds 
appear early in April, crimson would be a better 
description of them than rose. After expansion the 
flowers are rose externally and rose internally, and 
such is their profusion that a tree is a very con¬ 
spicuous and effective object even at a distance. It 
is a native of China and Japan, and proves perfectly 
hardy in our climate, giving no trouble whatever in 
its preservation. The fruits are about the size of 
those of the wild Gean, but are not so brightly 
coloured as the varieties of the Siberian Crab. 
ORNITHOGALUM NUTANS. 
A LARGE clump of this plant is very conspicuous in 
the spring time, when bulb plants are just beginning 
to be fairly plentiful. The flowers are large, slightly 
drooping, and borne in an elongated raceme. In 
this respect it differs from the true Star of 
Bethlehem (O. umbellatum), which has a flat or 
corymose spreading cluster of flowers. Like the 
flowers of the Crocus, they expand in the sunshine 
during the day, but close up at night. These 
changes are not so well marked in the case of O. 
nutans, oving to the drooping character of the 
flowers. The segments are of a silvery or satiny- 
white, with a broad band of pale green down the 
jaack of each, and for the reasons already stated 
these colours are most in evidence. At a short 
distance off the pale green and the silvery-white 
blend in a pleasing manner, and the plant is really 
conspicuous when associated with other hardy 
flowers. 
SYMPHYTUM ASPERRIMUM AUREO- 
VARIEGATUM. 
Although not a new thing, this is very little known 
amongst gardeners. It should prove a very easy 
plant to grow, for the typical green form increases 
rapidly in the open ground. The variegated form 
has the leaves edged with a pale yellow margin, 
fading to creamy-white as they get fully developed. 
The value of this sort might be tested by lifting a 
few plants from the open ground, by potting them, 
and then utilising them for conservatory decoration 
when the radical leaves are in their best condition. 
For this purpose it is of no advantage to allow the 
development of flower stems. Radical leaves are 
produced in great abundance, forming dense tufts, 
and in this condition the plant is bold and effective. 
Under glass the leaves are cleaner and fresher than 
when exposed to rough winds. We noted the plant 
so grown with Messrs. Laing & Sons, Forest 
Hill. 
PRUNUS PANICULATA FLORE PLENO. 
A MULTIPLICITY of names has been given to a Cherry 
hailing from China, and generally seen in a double 
or semi-double state. The above name is reckoned 
to be the oldest, and therefore the most correct, but 
it is not very applicable, for the flowers are not 
panicled, and the botanist who applied the name 
must have laboured under a mistake. The flowers 
are white when they first expand, and last some time, 
during which they become more or less tinted with 
pink. Waterer's Cherry is a form with more fully 
double flowers than usual, and when they first ex¬ 
pand there is very little pink to mar the purity of 
the white. The tree is of slow growth, with short, 
stout branches, for which reason it is usually grafted 
on the stem of some more common species. For 
pot work the stems used are short, but tall ones are 
employed for planting in the open ground as 
standards. They form a round head, and are very 
conspicuous when laden with bloom at the present 
time. 
SAXIFRAGA LINGULATA COCHLEARIS. 
All the species of Saxifraga which bear their 
leaves in a tuft are very suitable for planting on the 
rockery, and when suitable positions are selected for 
them where they can securely root and not be 
tumbled about by rain, wind, and the loosening action 
of frost upon the soil, they are long-lived plants and 
never fail to make an interesting display of bloom 
during May and June. Of course there are a few 
exceptions, such as S. longifolia, the crowns of 
which require some years, it may be, to attain a 
flowering size. The variety under notice has com¬ 
pact rosettes of beautiful form, and flowers regularly 
every year. The flowers are moderate in size, and 
pure white, but the stems and calyx are reddish- 
brown. In sheltered and warm places the plant has 
already begun to flower. 
ARBUTUS MENZIESII. 
The common Strawberry tree has been beautiful 
more or less all the winter, but its flowers are now 
comparatively few and far between. Its place is, 
however, taken by the Tall Strawberry tree (A. 
Menziesii), now in perfection. The flowers are 
produced in upright panicles, not drooping racemes 
as in the common one; they are white, agreeably 
fragrant, and shorter than those of the other, but 
produced in extraordinary abundance by good sized 
specimens. It is a native of North-West America, 
from whence it was introduced in 1827, seems 
really to be hardier than it gets credit for. A 
pyramidal tree about 10 ft. high flowered and 
fruited last year at Kew, where it is now a picture of 
considerable beauty. As a lawn tree for positions 
that are not too exposed to high winds it would be 
invaluable on account of its neat habit, dark green 
leaves, and peculiar gray barked stems and branches. 
As in the case of its congener, A. Andrachne, the old 
bark always peels away, leaving a smooth surface of 
peculiar appearance. Both this and A. Andrachne 
might well be planted for the sake of the effects 
produced by their stems, which shed the bark more 
regularly and completely than the Plane. In the 
case of the last named species it is of a rusty-red 
hue. 
GENISTA PRAECOX. 
The plant known in gardens under this name is 
really a variety of Cytisus albus the Portugal Broom. 
It differs only in the colour of the flowers, which are 
of a uniform pale yellow, instead of being white. It 
appears also to bloom earlier, even under the same 
conditions, but the type overtakes it before it goes out 
of bloom. The dense habit of the bush is remark¬ 
able, for it produces slender twigs in great abun¬ 
dance, and which remain green all the winter. As 
soon as growth recommences in spring, the flowers 
expand rather in advance of the leaves, so that they 
enjoy great prominence. Amongst this class of 
plants it has very few competitors during April, and 
is therefore worthy of extended cultivation. It is as 
hardy as the common Broom, and two large circular 
beds of it on the grass may be seen in the botanic 
grounds in the Royal Gardens, Kew. 
TROPAEOLUM STANSTEAD BEAUTY. 
The bright scarlet flowers of Ball of Fire have long 
been familiar in greenhouses where the plant is used 
as climber either for draping a back wall, for train¬ 
ing on wires under the rafters, or for basket work. 
That under notice may be used for similar purposes 
by way of variety. The flowers are the darkest, 
seemingly of the varieties used for this purpose, and 
are of a dark crimson shaded with maroon. The 
leaves are of a dark glaucous green and pubescent, as 
in the case of several of the greenhouse varieties. Of 
course, if it is desired to have it flower in winter a 
night temperature of 50° or thereby should be main¬ 
tained, as in conservatories or greenhouses where a 
display of flowering plants is kept up at that season. 
It is a new variety, and its rich colour should make 
it an acquisition for the sake of contrast. 
RICHARDIA LITTLE GEM. 
The numerous suckers or off-shoots produced by 
this plant has enabled cultivators to propagate it 
with great rapidity. Full sized plants seem to flower 
pretty regularly, and are both pretty and useful ; 
they are much smaller in all their parts than the 
typical Richardia Africana, of which it is a minia¬ 
ture variety. The spathe, notwithstanding, is of 
respectable size, proportionately shorter but wider, 
and less convolute at the base. The flower stem is 
12 in. to 18 in. high, so that the plant might be used 
where a tall, common form would be objectionable 
or not permissible. We noticed it flowering in one 
of the houses of E. H. Watts, Esq., Devonhurst, 
Chiswick. 
KALMIA GLAUCA. 
Under unfavourable conditions this species is not 
very attractive, but in localities and soils where it 
can make satisfactory progress it becomes an object 
of great beauty during April and May. The same 
statement applies to several other of the species of 
this genus. They are very hardy with exception 
perhaps of K. latifolia, which does not seem to 
flower in many localities when grown in the open 
air. The flowers of that under notice are rather 
deeply saucer-shaped, and of a beautiful lilac-purple ; 
they are produced in umbels or clusters terminating 
the branches and shoots, which generally reach 
12 in. or 18 in. high. Peat or a good admixture of 
it with the ordinarj soil is of great advantage to all 
plants of this class, and enables the cultivator to 
overcome many difficulties, both with gravelly, poor 
soil, and that of a retentive and clayey nature. The 
shrub is perfectly hardy even in the far north of this 
country, so that no plea of tenderness on that score 
can be urged. 
