Jan. 10th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
301 
ing, and the first flowers of Cattleya Trianise are open, 
a variety with pure white sepals and petals, an open 
lip of a bright rosy purple, and deep orange throat, 
and beautifully fringed with a white margin. Mas- 
devallia polystieta is represented by about a dozen 
plants, with scores of spikes. The new range of 
Orchid-houses in the herbaceous ground is now 
complete and stocked with plants, the collection of 
Cattleyas, Dendrobes, and Odontoglossums apparently 
being much the better for their new quarters, and, no 
doubt, in the coming season, will advance much more 
vigorously than was possible in the old houses in which 
for years they were located.—-IF. Swan, Fallowfield. 
- a — 
FLOBICULTTJRE. 
Cyclamens at Reading. —For some years past 
Messrs. Sutton A Sons, of Reading, have been singu¬ 
larly successful in developing improvements in the 
various strains of choice florists’ flowers with which 
their name has become identified. As well as being 
successful in raising new forms they are also exceed¬ 
ingly adept cultivators of them, as anyone may learn 
for himself by paying a visit to their London Road 
Nursery. During the next few months the leading 
specialities in season will include Cyclamens, Chinese 
Primulas, and herbaceous Calceolarias. The former 
are now nearly at their best and in all respects 
remarkably fine. The collection of Primulas is a 
large one and particularly rich in novelties, both as 
regards flowers and foliage, and, we might add, of 
curiosities also, for some of the results here seen of 
cross fertilization are curious in a high degree. Most 
of the varieties are now sufficiently in bloom for 
examination, but wall not be at then- best for about 
another month. The herbaceous Calceolarias are in 
splendid condition, giving promise of a superb display 
later on. 
The Cyclamens will be in bloom fora long time, and 
they are full of bloom now, making a display that is 
well worth seeing. An inspection of the houses and 
pits in this nursery reveals at once at least 
one of the secrets of the successful cultivation here 
carried out; there are no more plants grown of any 
kind than space can be provided for when they are 
fully developed. In this way overcrowding, one of the 
greatest evils in plant cultivation, is avoided, and the 
results are seen at once in the rows of thrifty, well- 
proportioned plants, each a model in itself. The even 
size of the plants is obtained by not keeping any 
second or third season roots, but by depending on 
seedlings raised every year and grown quickly on. 
The plants now in bloom have been grown on from 
seeds sown twelve months last November, and finer 
grown specimens in the time it would not be easy to 
find. To have first-rate Cyclamens, they must go 
well from the first, must from seedlings to the flower¬ 
ing stage be kept growing, and must be kept scrupu¬ 
lously free from insects to thoroughly develop the 
foliage. 
Given these conditions and suitable houses and pits 
to grow them in, and there is not the slightest reason 
why the majority of gardeners should not have plants 
as good as these. The Messrs. Sutton have vigorously 
set their face against any attempt to develop the 
tendency to “ doubling ” which plants have from time 
to time shown, and in this we think they have acted 
wisely. A double-flowered Cyclamen cannot be so 
handsome as a single one, and therefore is not worth 
perpetuating. That is the idea which rules at the 
London Road Nursery, and any plant which gives 
indications of a desire to produce more than the 
regulation number of petals is quickly thrown away. 
The ideal Cyclamen, which the firm constantly has in 
view, is a flower of good proportions, broad at the 
base, with broad well-rounded petals, and the colours 
always pure. The new pure white variety, now called 
White Butterfly, but which was certificated by the 
Floral Committee under the name of Miss Lilian Cox, 
is purity itself in the whiteness of its blossoms, and 
a particularly neat growing plant, with handsome 
marked foliage; and the other favourite varieties of 
the normal persieum type are Reading Gem, with 
large pure white petals and purple base ; Phoenix, very 
bright crimson; Roseum, bright rose with carmine 
base; and Pur.brum, deep red; 
The giganteum strain has undergone considerable 
improvement for the better since it has been in the 
Messrs. Sutton’s hands. At first the leaves were 
heavy, and being produced on long stalks, were 
easily broken, and so much did the loss of a few 
leaves disfigure the plants, that it was hardly safe to 
move them about. All this has been corrected by 
subsequent selection of varieties producing shorter 
leaf-stalks, until the strain is now as dwarf and 
compact in habit as need be desired. The four 
principal varieties, all now in beautiful bloom, are 
giganteum album, giganteum roseum, giganteum 
roseum album, and giganteum roseum superbum, 
and the last-named has been certificated by the 
Floral Committee. 
-——- 
Setters io % 
THE PERFUME OF ROSES. 
If your correspondent “ Spade,” who asks for infor¬ 
mation on this subject at p. 285, has a volume of The 
Florist and Pomologist for 1876, he will find at p. 142, 
of the June number, that it was Mr. Curtis of Torquay, 
who described the seventeen different sorts of scent. 
The following is a copy of the paragraph which may 
interest some of your other readers besides “ Spade ” : 
“ Sweet Briar scent, as in the garden variety; Moss 
Rose scent, as in Common Moss and family; Austrian 
Briar scent, as in Copper Austrian and family; Musk 
Rose scent, as in Narcissus, old Musk and family; 
Myrrh scent, as in Ayrshire splendens; China Rose 
scent, an astringent refreshing scent, as in old 
monthly China and many others ; Damask perpetual 
scent, as in Rose du Roi, Ac.; Scotch Rose scent, as 
in the early double Scotch; Violet scent, as in White 
Banksia; Old Cabbage scent, as in the w T ell-known 
double Provence ; Otto perpetual scent, as in Charles 
Lefebvre, Madame Knorr, Ac.; true perpetual scent, 
as in Chabrilland, Pierre Notting, Ac.; Old Tea 
scent, as in the old yellow Tea or Magnolia Rose, and 
others almost unpleasantly strong for some fastes ; 
Sweet Tea scent, as in Goubault, Marechal Njel, Ac.; 
Hybrid Tea scent, as in La France ; Nectdrine, or 
fruit scent, as in Socrates, Jaune Desprez, Aline 
Sisley, Ac. ; and the Verdier scent, represented more 
or less by all the Victor Verdier hybrids, such as 
Eugenie Verdier, Castellane, Countess of Oxford, 
Marie Finger, Ac. The petals of the highly-scented 
varieties have on their inner surface minute perfume 
glands or vesicles, containing the highly volatile 
essence, under the microscope distinctly visible. 
Those on the petals of Sweet Briar and Moss are 
almost visible to the naked eye. Mr. Curtis concludes 
that the following are the most deliciously and power¬ 
fully scented varieties: — La France, Goubault, 
Devoniensis, Marechal Niel, Bessie Johnson, Madame 
Knorr, Pierre Notting, and Charles Lefebvre.”— 
Bosarian. 
SOWING PEAS: NORTH AND SOUTH. 
There is one point in connection with the remarks 
by Mr. J. Knight, in his article entitled “ Peas 
for Exhibition,” which appeared in your issue of 
December 20th, that I should like to refer to, viz., 
the running of the rows due north and south. The 
question of aspect in connection with crops that are 
grown in rows, is entitled to more consideration than 
in all probability it receives. Peas, Beans, or other 
vegetables, when planted due north and south, will 
always yield a much better percentage of produce 
than when the lines are run in other directions. I 
have frequently observed, especially in the case of tall 
growing Peas or Beans, that the rows running due 
north and south have yielded considerably more 
produce than those sown in other ways. Accepting 
this as a general rule, I think the matter of some 
importance to growers.—C. F. Ward, London, January 
5th, 1885. 
LATE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Your correspondent, “ C. T.” p. 285, desires the 
names of a few late varieties of Chrysanthemums, and 
also a few hints on retarding bloom for exhibition. 
He will find a list of late varieties in another column 
of this week’s issue, p. 296, to which I beg to refer 
him, merely remarking that the following are very 
useful for decorative purposes, viz., Mons. a Dufour 
(this blooms in October), Elaine, Tokio, Julie 
Lagravere, Progne, Snowdrop (this, although small, is 
a fine late variety, and can be had in bloom in 
January), and Ethel. 
As to retarding blooms for exhibition, I may say 
that if it is seen in October that the blooms will be too 
forward, the plants should be kept out-of-doors as 
long as it is safe, and when placed under cover they 
should have plenty of air and be kept as cool as 
possible. Blooms may be cut with a good stem and 
be placed in a dark cupboard in a cool room, where 
they will keep fresh for a considerable time.— W. E. 
Boyce, Holloway. 
PLANT MANURES. 
A great service would be rendered to those who 
have to grow pot plants well with indifferent materials, 
if some reader would indicate which constitute at 
once the cheapest and most successful kinds of pot 
plant manures. I do not care whether these be applied 
in powdered form, and mixed with the soil, or strewed 
over the surface from time to time, or whether best 
used in liquid form. I want the manures chiefly for 
soft wooded stuff, but would also like to know some¬ 
thing of the best manure for Heaths, Ericas, Deutzias, 
Azaleas, Genistas and similar plants. Those who 
have rich turfy loam and ample decayed manure, 
know little of the shifts to which others are put in 
plant cultivation who have neither, but only poor 
soil material.— Plantsman. 
SALT FOR VINE BORDERS. 
Will some of your readers who have applied common 
salt to their vine borders inform me whether they have 
found it beneficial or hurtful to the vines ? I remember 
a very old and able gardener informing me that he had 
some Asparagus beds near his vine border, which was 
outside, and on doing something which disturbed the 
soil near them, he found some vine roots. He con¬ 
sulted the editor of one of the gardening periodicals of 
the day as to whether it would be judicious to salt 
these Asparagus beds in which he found the vine 
roots, and the answer was not to salt them by any 
means. This occurrence came fresh to my memory 
on reading during the past summer, I think, that Mr. 
Johnstone, of Glamis Castle, used salt for his vine 
borders, giving them a dressing every year similar to 
Asparagus. Any information on this subject will be 
gratefully received by W. C. C. S. 
POTATOS FOR AN AMATEUR. 
I WANT to grow a few select kinds of Potatos in my 
garden during the coming season. I am an amateur 
having about thirty rods of ground, the which I am 
fond of cultivating, and as I am at once fond of 
Potatos and as fond of exhibiting in a small way, I 
should like to learn from some of your contributors 
who know something about Potatos, the names of 
what are esteemed to be, say, a dozen good sorts that 
would prove at once suitable for show and for table, 
also good croppers. I want kinds that are different 
from those generally grown about there, which, though 
big croppers are rather coarse in character, and do 
not satisfy me. Any few hints with respect to treat¬ 
ment and cultivation would also greatly oblige A 
Sussex Amateur. 
THE SWEET WILLIAM. 
“R. D.,” in his interesting notes on the Sweet 
William does it no more than justice. The plant is 
not only thoroughly hardy, most easily raised from 
seeds or propagated from slips, but, if a good strain be 
obtained, it is a most useful addition to a bouquet. 
The great desideratum among growers, however, seems 
to be to get enormous heads of bloom, whereas the 
most useful and eligible habit is where the head is 
loose and broken up into numerous long twiggy 
shoots, each bearing from three to five pips. 
The great fault of the flower, generally speaking, is 
to close early in the evening, just, in fact, when one 
would wish it for bouquet purposes to open as wide 
as possible. Another common fault is that the petals 
crowd each other so much that scarcely a single pip 
is fairly open. A few years ago I grew the Sweet 
