£04 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 6, 1895. 
SOME OLD FAVOURITES. 
The bold and showy blooms of the Ranunculus 
excels most of its compeers both in the symmetry of its 
shape and in the brilliancy and diversity of its colours. 
Beds formed of it are among the most showy and 
attractive objects that one would wish to behold, for 
there is every conceivab'e shade represented in 
collections that contain the Persian, the Turban or 
Turkish, and the Giant Double French varieties, that 
1 may venture to say would be difficult to find in 
any other tribe of plants. There are shades of 
purple, violet, and deep black, mingled with the 
snowiest-white, orange, and golden-yellow hues, 
some with Carnation and Picotee-like markings, 
mottled and marbled, or green with scarlet margin, 
which are exhibited in gay profusion. My purpose 
for introducing the Ranunculus and a few other 
hardy plants is that the present season is most 
opportune for planting the same, and those who are 
desirous of planting should avail themselves of the 
present month to do so if a summer and autumn 
display is required. 
The season for planting, of course, varies consider¬ 
ably, according to the time at which it is intended 
for theflowersto bloom. The first and mostimportant 
point is that the bed should be well drained, dug, and 
well-rotted cow dung mixed with the soil to within 
6 in. of the surface, as raw manure coming in direct 
contact with the tubers often causes canker. Let 
the surface soil be a mixture of rich fibrous loam, 
coarse silver sand, and leaf mould. Plant the tubers 
2 in. deep, and 3 in. apart, in drills, placing a goodly 
quantity of coarse sand in these drills, and carefully 
plant the roots firmly with their claws downwards, 
the soil then being raked over with a light rake. 
A slight covering of cocoa-nut fibre refuse is very 
beneficial to guard off late spring frost and may 
thus be given with advantage. When the leaves 
appear the hoe should be used to roughen the sur¬ 
face, but must be handled very ligbtlyas theroots are 
sensitive to being disturbed, and a dressing of manure 
or an application of liquid manure is advantageous 
at this stage, and tends to nourish the roots, and give 
firmness and stability to the leaves. Should dry 
weather set in, copious supplies of water must be 
given, as Ranunculi are more apt to suffer from the 
want of it than from excess, presuming of course 
that the beds are well drained. These copious 
supplies of water serve not only as food for the roots, 
but tend to extend their blooming period. The hot 
sun’s rays are very detrimental to the blooms, and 
preparation should be made to give them in some 
way a little shade when it is at its hottest. 
The double and single flowered forms of Anemone 
coronaria, the “ Poppy Anemone,” or Garland Wind¬ 
flower, requires to be managed in much in the same 
way as the Ranunculus, and is a highly ornamental 
plant with large showy flowers ranging in colour- 
from the most intense scarlet to purest white. The 
foliage is, moreover., elegantly cut, and the habit of 
the pi ant is neat and compact. Anemones planted on 
a bank sheltered from violent winds give a most 
delightful effect. 
The Tigridia, or “ Tiger Flower,”, is perhaps one 
of the loveliest in the garden, and shines best in a 
rich loamy soil mixed with sharp sand, must be we’l 
drained and receive a good supply of water, should 
the weather be dry. The flowers are of short 
duration, but the stems terminate in a sort of sheath, 
from which a number of blooms successively expand, 
continuing for some weeks. T. conchiflora, yellow, 
centre spotted scarlet; T. grandiflora, rich scarlet 
with crimson spots on a yellow ground ; T. grandi¬ 
flora alba, pure white, centre spotted crimson, are 
all varieties that well deserve a trial. 
Gladiolus gandavensis, or the Sword Lily, does 
not need any description, as it is so well known. All 
lovers of this remarkably beautiful flower know well 
how attractive are its beautiful spikes of blooms. No 
place is better suited for them than the kitchen 
garden, or they may be planted in the Rose or 
Rhododendron beds. If planted in borders, they 
should be in clumps of threes or fives at intervals 
of from 4 ft. to 6 ft. As pot plants they are invalu¬ 
able, and make a brilliant show when intermixed 
with other subjects in the conservatory or green¬ 
house. They should be potted during March and 
April, using a compost of well-rotted manure, rich 
loam, and coarse sand well mixed, subsequently 
plunging the pots in an open situation and attending 
carefully to manurial watering during dry weather. 
The Gladioli should never be allowed to become 
dry, as few plants suffer more than these if there is 
lack of moisture. As soon as the spikes of bloom 
show colour they should be taken to the conserva¬ 
tory or greenhouse to develop their blooms. When 
the leaves begin to fade they should be lifted, dried, 
and the corms stored away carefully in shallow boxes 
or bags in a dry place and away from frosts. 
Hyacinthus candicans is a very showy South 
African bulb, and well worthy of a position in all 
gardens; the flower scape is from 3 ft. to 5 ft. high, 
and bears large snow-white fragrant flowers. It is 
admirably adapted for growing in clumps in borders 
or centre beds, and is quite hardy.— W. L. 
-- 
THE TRANSPLANTING OF 
LARGE TREES. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
held in the Westminster Drill Hall on Tuesday, 
March 26th, Mr. J. Cheal presiding, Mr. Crasp, who 
was unfortunately absent, contributed an essay upon 
the lifting and transplanting of large trees and 
shrubs, the paper being read by the assistant secretary 
of the Society. The essayist proceeded to dwell upon 
the evils resulting from too close planting, which he 
averred were very many, and likely unless speedily 
rectified to cause considerable damage to the whole 
of thetreesin theplantation. He was awarethat it was 
the usual custom to plant closely on many gentlemen’s 
estates where an immediate effect was desired, and 
this as the plants increased in size should induce the 
gardener to take proper care that those subjects 
which it was decided to keep were allowed sufficient 
space to develop themselves properly, this room being 
given by the removing of some, either by lifting them 
and planting them out in other situations, or by 
cuttiDg them down. This latter method the essayist 
said was a most expensive proceeding and one the 
adoption of which he would not advocate unless 
under very pressing conditions. 
Where proper precautions were taken and due care 
exercised the transplanting of large specimens of 
deciduous trees and shrubs as well as Conifers might 
be safely entertained with but surprisingly little fear 
of injury to the subjects so treated. Indeed, if asked 
to make out a list of the trees which might be safely 
removed after they had attained a considerable size, 
he would reply that with very few exceptions indeed, 
all trees and shrubs might be so treated, of course, 
supposing that operations were properly conducted. 
During an extended period of practical work of this 
kind he had successfully transplanted deciduous trees 
and shrubs of all sorts, besides Conifers in endless 
variety. Amongst these latter, however, it was his 
experience that Abies Pinsapo was a most difficult 
subject with which to deal; in most cases it meaning 
death to move it after it had reached any size, 
although in a few instances it had been known to 
grow and flourish in its new quarters. 
Mr. Crasp was of opinion that one of the most 
important points bearing upon the successful trans¬ 
planting of large trees was to see that the ball of 
earth enveloping the roots was thoroughly soaked 
with water on being consigned to its new position. 
If any doubts were entertained as to the proper 
soaking of the ball he should advise that several 
holes be carefully made in it by means of iron rods ; 
so as to allow the water to penetrate it freely, other¬ 
wise any water that might be given would run off 
and quickly disappear in the comparatively loose soil 
surrounding it. In shifting, early autumn, that is to 
say some time during the middle or end of September, 
was perhaps the best time of the year to conduct 
operations. It was not at all necessary to wait until 
the leaves had fallen from deciduous trees as he 
had shifted many in full leaf with the best of results. 
The Chairman at the conclusion of the paper 
offered a few remarks upon the necessity of preparing 
trees that it was proposed to transplant a year or so 
beforehand, digging a trench round them at a sufficient 
distance from the stem, and cutting the very thick 
roots which might be met with, thus inducing the 
plant to make a number of small fibrous roots close 
to the stem, the risk consequent on shifting being in 
this way greatly minimised. It was also of the first 
importance, he stated, that all bruised or broken roots 
should be neatly trimmed with a sharp knife before 
planting. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society’s Year Book 
for 1895 .—Edited by Mr. Harman Payne F.R.H.S. Price, is. 
post free, is. iid. from the Publisher of the Gardening 
World, i, Clement’s Inn, Strand, W.C. 
THE ALPINE HOUSE AT 
KEW. 
The tide of fashion, and hence, to a very large 
extent, that of popularity also, has of late years set 
in very strongly in favour of all kinds of hardy 
plants, and thus from a comparatively neglected 
position they are now largely grown and assiduously 
cultivated in most of our gardens. Alpines, as a 
section, have by no means been forgotten, and we 
may well add neither do they deserve to be; and 
the increasing number of rockeries that are con¬ 
structed year by year in different parts of the 
country, as well as the large numbers of plants in 
pots that enjoy a place in so many of our green¬ 
houses, testify to the fact that some of the merits at 
least of this beautiful and interesting class of plants 
are well known and duly recognised by the horticul- 
turally-inclined public. 
At Kew a small span-roofed house in a corner of 
the herbaceous ground is set apart for the purpose 
of exhibiting to the public Alpine plants in pots 
during their flowering stages. This little show- 
house has, during the last few weeks, been thrown 
open to the public for the season, and at present 
contains an interesting and varied collection of 
plants in flower. Of Saxifragas there are a goodly 
quantity, both in number and variety, the well- 
known S. Burseriana being in fine condition, also its 
pretty little variety S. B. macrantha. S. oppositi- 
folia was also represented, together with S. o. 
maxima, which has rather larger flowers than those 
of the type, being quite J in. in diameter; S. o. 
pyrenaica with its deeply tinted rose-coloured 
flowers, S. o. splendens, S. o. grandiflora, and S. o. 
major. S. apiculata was also conspicuous with its 
profusion of pale yellow flowers borne upon scapes 
barely exceeding 2 in. in height, and the dwarf 
carpet-like growth of bright green characteristic of 
so many of the Saxifrages. Chionodoxas of various 
sorts were to be seen ; also Scillas in variety, S. 
uckranica being especially noticeable. A fine pan 
some 15 in. in diameter full of healthy well-flowered 
plants of Epimedium rubrum, with its lax panicles 
of crimson and yellow flowers, looked exceedingly 
bright and handsome. 
The golden flowered Fritillary, Fritillaria aurea, 
with its rich yellow bell-shaped and pendulous 
flowers spotted with black, a characteristic of many 
of the members of this genus, and which has been 
supposed to resemble the chequerings of the chess¬ 
board, hence the name Fritillary from Fritilius, a 
chess-board. F. armena, a few plants of which were 
also present, exhibits a curious contrast to the 
former species. The flowers are much smaller than 
those of F. aurea, and are of such a deep dark red 
or reddish-brown that the segments of the perianth 
appear almost black on the outside, their true beauty 
being shown, however, in the presence of the all- 
revealing sunshine. The well-known but compara¬ 
tively seldom met with Primula denticulata was also 
to be seen, along with its white variety P. d. alba, 
which appears to be of rather stronger growing habit 
than its type, and is certainly both a handsome and 
a useful plant. 
A collection of spring-flowering Alpines would 
manifestly be both incomplete and unrepresentative 
unless some of the Drabas were present, and here 
D. longirostrata was deputed in company with D. 
Loiseleuri to represent the genus which comprises 
so many beautiful spring-blooming plants. Both 
these kinds are yellow flowered, the margins of the 
leaves of the former being very prettily ciliated, a 
fact which adds not a little to the attractiveness of 
the plant. We noticed also the curious Leontice 
leontopetalum with its drooping racemes of some 
2 in. in length of the rather insignificant brown and 
brownish-yellow flowers ; also Lathyrus vernus, in 
which the peduncles are from one to four flowered, 
the flowers being rather small, the vexillum bright 
purple, and the keel a very bright blue colour. 
Sundry pots and pans full of Anemones, A. blanda 
principally, Cyclamen Count, Pulmonaria mollis, a 
very large flowered variety, all helped to add to the 
beauty and effectiveness of a display that was quite 
sufficient in itself to convince even the most 
unbelieving of horticulturists of the value of Alpines 
as a class of plants even when it is only possible 
from want of room or other reasons to grow them 
in pots. __ 
Chrysanthemums and their Culture. By Edwin 
Molyneux. Eighth Edition. By far the best practical work yet 
written on this subject. Price, is.; post free, is. 2d. Publisher, 
Gardening World, i, Clement's Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
