April 6, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
501 
heart of the Apennines, so loved by Ariosto (vide 
“ Orlando Furioso," xxii. 26), the chosen haunt of 
Galileo and Lorenzo de Medici, and one of the 
scenes of the inspiration of Milton :— 
Thick as the autumnal leaves that strew the brooks 
In Vall'ombrosa, where the Etrurian shades 
High over arch’d embower. 
So, too, for another poet, beside the full-bosomed 
Rhine 
I send the Lilies given to me ; 
Though long before thy hand they touch, 
I know that they must withered be. 
Near home, how delightful the profusion in a 
certain quiet corner of Leigh woods, that consecrated 
relic of old-time forest which borders the Avon just 
below Bristol. The particular spot is known but to 
few. Enough to say here that it is near the Salvator 
Rosa rocks, thus not far from where in the lang syne 
the nightingales were wont to sing, where evening, 
like a lover on the door-step, seemed to linger 
longest; yea, until though still too light for the 
stars, the planets began to peer forth in their beau¬ 
tiful lustre. Ah, what gladsome hours were those 
when old Samuel Rootsey, Nestor of the Bristol 
botanists of the time, used to show the path to little 
parties of privileged pupils, the broad Atlantic of his 
benevolent countenance rippled with kindly smiles 
as the sweet pearly gleam began to show amid the 
verdure, thought-freighted words flowing like a 
stream from lips like those of Socrates, while hands 
were speedily filled with the fragrant treasure. 
Look ! There are the dryads, full of curiosity, peep¬ 
ing out from behind the trees ! How bright the 
classic fancy which first distinguished them, which 
gave nereids to the sea, naiades to the fountain, oreads 
to the smooth-cheeked hills, wood-nymphs to the 
forest. Of course they are all there ! Yes : imperish¬ 
able, and young as ever for the heart that knows 
how to look for their loveliness. Schiller tells us 
how in the immortal passage in the Piccolomini 
beginning " The intelligible forms of ancient poets." 
—Leo H. Grindon, in Manchester City News. 
--f-- 
BEDDING CALCEOLARIAS. 
The past winter will not be forgotten in a hurry by 
many an owner of a small flower garden who makes 
a point of supplying himself with the material 
necessary for the filling of his beds and borders 
during the summer and autumn months. We are 
now in the midst of discoveries of the damage that 
the frost has done, and in no particular department 
is the havoc greater than in cold pits and frames 
which were utilised at the commencement of winter 
to shelter Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, etc, in 
readiness for use in the coming spring. In this no 
great difficulty is usually experienced, particularly 
with regard to Calceolarias, for a few degrees of 
frost when the foliage is dry does not appear to 
injure them to any appreciable extent. They also 
strike very readily, and thus a stock may soon be 
worked up from a few plants, almost every cutting 
rooting. 
This is a matter to be thankful for, for next in 
popularity as a bedding subject to the scarlet zonal 
Pelargonium undoubtedly ranks the Calceolaria. 
By a judicious selection of early and late flowering 
varieties, the season may be considerably extended 
from May right through the summer, until the frost 
puts a stops to blooming in the autumn. In striking 
the cuttings in autumn, one or two plans may be 
adopted, according to the fancy of the operator. 
The first that may be mentioned is to insert the 
cuttings in well-drained pans filled with light, sandy 
soil. The plants may be allowed to remain in these 
pans during the winter, and in spring may be planted 
out either in a bed made up in a cold frame or in a 
border. It will be necessary to pinch the tops out 
of any long growths that bid lair to monopolise too 
large a share of the strength and energy of the 
plant, and thus dwarf and bushy habited material 
will be obtained. Another plan is to make a bed of 
soil in a cold frame in autumn, and dibble the cut¬ 
tings into it straight away, leaving them in this 
position until spring, when they may be planted out 
into their flowering quarters outside. In this case 
it will of course be very necessary to make some 
preparations for protecting the beds in anticipation 
of the visits of late spring frosts. 
Where the hard winter has resulted in the de¬ 
struction of a great part of the stock, steps should 
have been taken ere this to remedy the evil. Any 
plants that may have been spared by the frost should 
be taken up, potted, and grown on in a warm green¬ 
house temperature, so as to induce them to make 
cuttings, which should be taken off as soon as large 
enough, inserted several in small pots filled with 
sandy soil, and the pots plunged in a gentle bottom 
heat, under which conditions they will quickly root. 
Where no plants at all are left, it only remains 
either to beg cuttings from one’s more fortunate 
neighbours, or to buy the plants from the nursery¬ 
man. In the latter case, several varieties should.be 
chosen, and the following will be found to be a good 
selection, flowering as they do at various times. 
Golden Gem.— This is, perhaps, the finest of all 
the Calceolarias for early and mid-season flowering, 
and its merits are pretty generally recognised. The 
flowers are of a rich yellow colour, and the plant 
possesses a thoroughly robust constitution. Victoria is 
another exceedingly fine variety, and its dark maroon 
coloured flowers afford adecided contrast to the yellow 
flowered sorts. Amplexicaulis, for late blooming, 
is a truly splendid variety, and should be grown by 
all. Unlike the foregoing varieties, which properly 
belong to the shrubby section, this sort is of a de¬ 
cidedly herbaceous character, and is one of the very 
few good species in cultivation, being introduced 
from Peru about the year 1845. As its name 
implies, the leaves, which are produced in pairs, are 
sessile and stem-clasping. The flowers are bright 
yellow, and are produced in such exceptionally 
heavy trusses that it is very necessary that some 
support be given them, or they will be beaten to the 
ground and spoiled by rain or wind. When pro¬ 
perly secured, however, a few plants will afford a 
really magnificent display towards the end of the 
season more particularly. 
--fr——— 
BOUGAINVILLEAS. 
As climbers for training to rafters and wires in the 
stove these plants have few to equal and certainly 
none to surpass them for beauty and usefulness. 
Their merits are moreover pretty generally recog¬ 
nised among members of the horticultural fraternity, 
and thus it is in very few establishments of any 
pretensions whatever, where a good and roomy stove 
is numbered amongst the list of existingconveniences 
for plant cultivation, that at least one example is not 
present in a greater or less degree of perfection. 
The genus is rather a small one, numbering only 
some ten distinct species, only two of which, 
however, are of any value horticulturally. The 
flowers themselves are small and insignificant, and of 
greenish hue, the plant owing its beauty to the large 
brilliantly-coloured bracts which envelop the flowers 
and which are popularly supposed to be the true 
flowers themselves. The genus is said to take its 
name from De Bougainville, a French navigator of 
some fame, who died about the year 1811. 
B. glabra.— This species is the only one with 
which the majority of gardeners can claim acquain¬ 
tance, and it is undoubtedly the gem of the genus. 
It was introduced from Brazil no later than the year 
1861, so that it has made the best use of its oppor¬ 
tunities in working its way into the affections of the 
members of the gardening faculty in such a com¬ 
paratively short time. Its culture in pots is often 
attempted, but in very few cases indeed are really 
satisfactory results obtained, for although it flowers 
freely enough when grown in this way and trained 
to a balloon or trellis fashioned of wire or wood as 
the case may be, the plant always presents a stiff 
and cramped appearance that, in our estimation, 
does not in the least serve to heighten its natural 
beauty, but, on the other hand, detracts considerably 
from it. 
Contrast the appearance of such a miserably 
distorted specimen, with that produced by a plant 
with its main branches trained near the roof of the 
house and the young growths allowed to hang from 
the roofs—a mass of bloom. There can be no doubt 
whatever that it needs a position of this kind to 
exhibit its beauty to the full. B. glabra would never 
have made a name for itself if it had been grown 
only as a pot plant, twisted and strained in a rigidly 
symmetrical form about a few feet of wire or wood. 
Bougainvilleas thrive much better if they are planted 
out in a specially prepared border. In preparing 
this it is well to bear in mind the fact that although 
they are naturally free-growing subjects, the root 
space may be somewhat restricted with advantage, 
their floriferousness being much increased thereby. It 
is quite possible to grow a large specimen in a border 
of apparently inadequate size. This border must be 
enclosed by a brick wall so as to keep the roots from 
rambling at their own sweet will outside their 
allotted bounds, as they will be almost sure to do if 
some precautions like those just mentioned are not 
taken to check their inquisitive and progressive dis¬ 
position. When the roots are thus kept within 
proper limits, it is much easier to apply any 
manurial stimulant that may be considered 
necessary with satisfactory results. 
The wall of the bed being properly constructed 
and the drainage, which must be ample put in, the 
soil must receive the next consideration. This should 
consist of three parts of good, turfy loam, and one 
part of leaf soil. This latter should be carefully 
selected and all appearance of fungoid growth 
removed. Sand must be added in sufficient quantity 
to keep the soil porous and epen. The plants may 
be pruned each winter pretty severely with advantage 
—spurred back to within an eye or two, for the bloom 
is always produced in this species upon wood of the 
current season’s growth. By cutting back pretty 
hard, therefore the plants are induced to make 
plenty of new wood. As in the case of Vines, a 
number of growths are made which would not be of 
the slightest service if left. These, therefore, must 
be thinned out, as occasion requires, so that those 
left shall have room to develop properly during the 
growing season. 
An abundance of water will be needed ; indeed, 
the plants must not at this season of the year be 
allowed to get at all dry. As soon as flowering 
commences, bi-weekly applications of weak, liquid, 
farmyard manure should be given. After the 
flowering season is over, the supply of water should 
be gradually restricted, to assist the wood in ripen¬ 
ing before winter sets in, finally keeping the plants 
well on the dry side during the dull months until 
things begin to show signs of moving with the 
advancing of spring. With proper care and atten¬ 
tion, insect pests should not cause a great deal of 
of trouble. The frequent use of the syringe, both 
before and after flowering, will suffice to check the 
attentions of red spider, which now and again will 
strive to obtain a footing. If the plants are 
thoroughly cleaned before starting them into growth 
in the spring, mealy bug should not cause a great 
deal of trouble, although in houses that are fre¬ 
quently subject to its attacks, an occasional look 
over should be given the plants, and any stray 
clusters of bug that may appear to view destroyed. 
B. speciosa.— Although not nearly so well known 
as the forementioned species, B. speciosa is well 
worthy the cultivator’s attention. It was introduced 
from Brazil about the same time as B. glabra, which 
it closely resembles in many ways. The inflorescence 
is, however, considerably larger. The bracts are of 
extra large size, cordate in shape, and of a beautiful 
lilac-rose colour. The leaves are ovate in shape, and 
are distinct from those of B. glabra in being of a 
dark green hue, with the upper surface covered with 
small hairs, the leaves of the former being light 
green in colour and their surface quite destitute of 
hairs. 
B. spectabilis. —This completes the list of 
Bougainvilleas at present most generally met with 
under cultivation, although B. spectabilis is rather 
an unworthy successor of the other two species. 
From the gardener's standpoint of what a good 
plant is, it is a failure, for it is an exceedingly shy 
flowerer, and the blooms, when they do condescend 
to make an appearance, are of an exceedingly 
fugacious character. It is more than likely, there¬ 
fore, that it will not get very far out of the bounds 
of botanic establishments, where the interest attach- 
to a plant does not depend upon its usefulness as a 
decorative subject from its possession of gorgeous 
and elegant foliage, or of especially free-blooming 
qualities. B. spectabilis was introduced some con¬ 
siderable time before the other two, being brought 
from South America as early as the year 1829. It 
was for some time known as Josepha augusta, under 
which title it may occasionally be met with even 
now. 
Vines and Vine Culture.—The best book on Grapes. By 
Archibald F. Barron, Superintendent of the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Gadens, Chiswick; Secretary of the Fruit Com- 
mitee. Demy 8vo., Handsomely bound in Cloth. Price, 5s., 
post free, 5s. 3d. Publisher, Gardening World, i, Clements 
Inn, Strand, W.C. 
