August 11, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
789 
dose to get even finer or more brilliant results ; then 
when the plants show signs of weakness, he augments 
the manure to counteract it, and has the morti¬ 
fication to see the plants dwindle and die under his 
eyes, just like a smoker of opium or a drinker of 
absinthe (!) 
A chapter devoted to the culture of hardy 
Orchids such as Cypripediums, Orchis, Goodyera, 
Ophrys, Serapias, &c., is mostly compiled from Les 
Orchidees Rustiques by M. Henry Correvon, whose 
skill in the cultivation of hardy plants of all kinds is 
well and widely known. The descriptions of the 
principal Orchids cultivated in European collections 
extend to 436 pages, or considerably less than half 
of the book As a rule, cultivators find this part of 
the book not only interesting but most useful in 
identifying or correcting a name, but also in getting 
the history and other facts in connection therewith. 
The arrangement is strictly alphabetical, except that 
hybrids are kept by themselves and follow the species. 
Special cultural details are then made to follow the 
genus to which they refer. All this is as it should 
be, and is evidently entirely intended for the re¬ 
quirements of cultivators ; but although the interests 
of the botanist are thus ignored, we should have 
liked to see a nomenclature more in accordance with 
modern science or the “ up-to-date ” knowledge of 
the subject. For instance. Cattleya labiata or C. 
Warocqueana, C. gigas, C. Mossiae, C. Trianae, C. 
uncommon to the Primulaceae, it is yet quite ir¬ 
regular for a little batch to so far forget the period 
of the year as to bloom in summer time. Now these 
little plants are the result of seeds sown last May 
twelvemonths. At that date I thought I would try 
some of Dean’s celebrated Alpine forms, amongst 
other things, and received in due course not only 
what I had bargained for, but a small packet of seed 
marked “double” and “gratis.” Many of the 
single Alpines produced their sweetly pretty flowers 
last spring, but the doubles, more reluctant, did not 
so progress. They, however, received a seasonable 
shift and a little extra care, with the resultant con¬ 
sequence above indicated. Most of the flowers are 
semi-double, i. a corolla within a corolla; some 
exhibit a purely abnormal form, while others are 
mealy leaved—the meal extending to the flowers— 
and show signs of becoming at least “ monstrosities.” 
A bright, free-flowering, yellow one appears to 
possess a triple corolla, in addition to the mealy 
foliage, which has earned for this section the title of 
“ Dusty Millers.” A neighbour of mine, a Yorkshire 
woman, calls them “ Recklaces,” which is not now 
inappropriate, inasmuch as their reckless conduct at 
this time of year is much to be deplored. Anyhow, they 
are fu'l of interest, and furnish matter for specula¬ 
tion as to what they will become when they have 
arrived at years of discretion, and the cause, or 
causes, which has assisted them to bloom so pre¬ 
in a grove of trees in the Botanic Garden at Cannes. 
The species being a native of Central and Southern 
Europe, it is natural to suppose that it would thrive 
at Cannes; but if sites were selected with intelli¬ 
gence and care, there is no reason, on the face of it, 
why a similar success should not be attainable in 
this country. We believe also that the hardy 
.Cyclamens are capable of improvement by seed 
raising, selection and crossing, because when once 
they can be induced to vary, it is only a question of 
time and patience to develope a race or races of 
hardy Cyclamens, equal in beauty to those of C. 
persicum, even if we can hardly expect the size 
under open air treatment. The typical form of C. 
europaeum has bright red and fragrant flowers, 
intensifying in colour towards the mouth. Already 
there are Italian forms of it with longer and more 
delicately coloured flowers, besides the white one 
represented in the illustration. 
Propagation is always effected by seeds, which 
should be sown in pots or pans as soon as ripe, and 
placed in a cold frame to germinate. In spring they 
may be shifted into other pans with more room, or 
potted singly with the view of getting them estab¬ 
lished and of some size before transferring them to 
their permanent positions. The tubers go on 
increasing in size and flowering more freely for 
many years, so that when a clump is once established 
and flourishing the cultivator has the pleasure of 
Mendelii. C. Percivalliana C. Warneri, C. Gaskel- 
liana, C. chocoensis, C. Dowiana, and C. aurea all 
forms of C. labiata, are termed species, and treated 
as such in alphabetical order, although it is often 
difficult to distinguish them from one another except 
that they flower at different seasons. Then again 
C. Warscewiczii is said to be a name given by cer¬ 
tain authors to C. gigas, whereas we consider it the 
proper name by right of priority. Doubtless the 
author has his reasons for this proceeding, since the 
book is entirely meant for the practical cultivator. 
The descriptions given are usually very lucid and to 
the point, both in the case of genera and species. 
-- 
DOUBLE AURICULAS. 
It seems somewhat strange to write about Auri¬ 
culas, even in a floral sense, in the dog days—those 
cool, shade-loving plants, which should now be 
making preparations for the future, and perfecting 
their growth and incipient flower buds for the glories 
of the vernal year. But, strange as it may appear, 
it is not more strange than nature’s wondrous ways, 
to wit, the blooming of a little batch of double 
Auriculas at midsummer ! 
The Alpine Auricula has always been a favourite 
of mine—the show varieties I cannot fully compre¬ 
hend or appreciate—for its bright, fresh, early and 
fragrant propensities; but the double and semi¬ 
double forms have, up till now, been to me an 
arcatmm. Doubly strange, then, that I should 
become acquainted with them in July I It occurred 
in this wise, and I think the fact is worth recording, 
because, although the blooming out of season is not 
maturely. Doubtless, one of the causes is due to 
the moist, warm, genial weather we have lately 
experienced, which has been so far superfine as to 
have led them on inopportunely, hence their preco¬ 
city.—C. B. G., Acton, W. 
- i - 
HARDY CYCLAMENS AT CANNES. 
Several of the species of Cyclamen, independently 
of the universally cultivated C. persicum, are grown 
in British gardens but particularly in the southern 
counties. In a great many cases the plants are 
grown in pots, pans or frames, but we should like to 
see more frequent attempts at establishing them in 
the open air under a slight shading by trees. The 
results already obtained by several cultivators should 
warrant a wider adoption of the plan of establishing 
different species and their varieties in the open air. 
With exception of C. persicum, all are more or less 
decidedly hardy in the south, and some, including 
C. Coum, are perfectly hardy even in the far north 
of Scotland. The species most frequently seen 
in the open air are C. Coum, C. ibericum, the 
hybrid C. Atkinsii, and C. neapolitanum with their 
numerous varieties differing chiefly in colour and 
the markings of the foliage, just as occurs in the 
greenhouse forms of C. persicum. With exception 
of C. Neapolitanum, all therest flower in spring—in 
fact they are amongst the earliest flowers to put in 
an appearance upon the rockery where they are 
most frequently seen. 
The accompanying illustration was prepared from 
a group of a white variety of C. europaeum growing 
looking upon what will afford a considerable amount 
of pleasure and satisfaction. A well drained and 
sheltered position should be selected for them. 
-» « - 
GLOXINIAS UNDER 
NAME. 
The strain of Gloxinias in the nursery of Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, has for a long time been 
very choice and varied. The practice of naming the 
best of them has this advantage, that notes can be 
made by visitors and reference can always be made 
to the notes and a selection made of any particular 
shade of colour that may be desired. It is now too 
late to see the plants in their glory, but a short time 
ago the undermentioned notes were made and serve 
to give an idea of the collection, although words fail 
to convey anything like the infinite variety now to 
be met with in this popular, showy and useful florists’ 
flower. 
The bulk of the varieties grown have erect and 
funnel-shaped flowers according to the prevalent 
fashion and taste in respect to the modern ideal of a 
good Gloxinia, but a few very choice selections of 
the old-fashioned, tubular and drooping flowers are 
retained for the sake of contrast and variety. One 
of these is Duchess of Teck with large, drooping 
flowers of a rich purple and shaded with crimson in 
the throat. The others here mentioned have erect 
flowers. The huge flowers of Argus are marked with 
large rose spots on a white ground like the hundred¬ 
eyed Argus of mythology. Clarinda, on the contrary, 
is finely spotted with violet on a white ground. 
