522 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 18, 1895. 
the continent, and steps have been taken there to 
supply this want, with the result that unless we as a 
nation wake up to the true state of affairs we must 
inevitably be like the “ cow's tail ’ before very long 
The improved means of international communication 
that obtain, and the closeness of the relations that 
exist between us and our continental neighbours make 
it almost impossible for any gardener of repute to 
escape connections with our horticultural friends 
upon the main land. Accordingly, even a slight 
knowledge of French becomes of the greatest service. 
(To be continued.) 
CALADIUMS AT 
CHELSEA. 
The collection of Caladiums in the nursery of 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, is being rapidly 
augmented from time to time with new and improved 
kinds of great beauty. The chief evidence of it 
coming before the public has been the new varieties 
placed before the Floral Committee at the meetings 
of the Royal Horticultural Society. We described a 
number of these varieties when they were certificated. 
At present the foliage of many of the kinds is in the 
pink ” of perfection, and in the glory of its spring 
tints. One of these was Gaspard Crayer of a brilliant 
crimson in the centre and bronzy-green over the rest, 
with the principal veins running through it of a 
warm crimson. The leaves of B. S. Williams are 
soft red with dark claret ribs and a green edge. 
Pretty at all times, when well grown, is the variety 
named Ibis Rose whose leaves are of moderate size 
and of a bright, warm rosy-pink. Baron Adolphe de 
Rothschild is well adapted for exhibition purposes if 
plants of large size are required, because the leaves 
attain handsome proportions and are bronzy-crimson, 
marked all over with bright rosy spots. Near by are 
handsome and attractive specimens of Baronne 
Clara deHirsch with creamy-white leaves and bright 
rose blotches, as well as a claret midrib. This also 
would make a distinct variety for exhibition purposes. 
Comte de Germiny is now getting well known for its 
dwarf habit and beautiful foliage well adapted for 
decorative purposes. The leaves are of a beautiful 
soft red with the principal ribs of a bright red, and 
spotted with white. The leaves of Louis Van Houtte 
are of a bronzy or metallic red with rosy-red veins. 
The huge leaves of Charlemagne are pink, reticulated 
and marked with green. 
Varieties that attain a large size are well adapted 
for exhibition purposes, and it must be allowed that 
they present a rich and gorgeous appearance when 
well grown and beautifully coloured ; but if entirely 
grown for exhibition purposes their distribution in 
gardens would be comparatively limited. The large 
size they attain would also prevent them from being 
generally useful where house-room is comparatively 
limited. A new race has, however, been raised in 
this country by Mr. C. F. Bause, and the stock 
having been secured by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, 
this firm is now prepared to send out the under¬ 
mentioned seven varieties. The leading charac¬ 
teristics of the race are that they are brilliant in 
colour, and dwarf in habit, with small and attractive 
leaves. The dwarf habit is well represented by 
Duchess of York, Duke of York, and Chelsea Gem. 
All of them are, however, remarkably well adapted 
for decorative purposes in the drawing-room and 
on the dinner-table, because they can be grown in 
small pots such as are admissible for this kind of 
work. Four out of the seven received Awards of 
Merit when submitted to the Royal Horticultural 
Society, a fact in itself sufficient to guarantee their 
novel and utilitarian character in the face of the 
hundreds of varieties already in cultivation. 
The Duchess of York was raised from Madame E. 
Pynaert and Reine de Danemark, and has small, 
rosy-pink leaves, shaded with greenish-yellow, and 
netted with brilliant carmine veins. It is remarkably 
dwarf, and of a pleasing, attractive appearance. 
For dwarf habit and general utility Chelsea Gem is 
on a par with, or is even dwarfer than Duchess of 
York, but it is brighter in colour, a circumstance 
due to the different parentage. The blade of the 
leaf is crimson-carmine, wavy, and still further 
brightened up by the midrib and principal veins 
being of a blood-red The leaf stalks are also dark 
crimson. It was raised from Minus erubescens and 
Madame Edouard Pynaert, which will explain its 
dwarf habit and rich colours. The leaves of F. W. 
Moore are crimson-scarlet with dark crimson 
petioles, and the variety may be set down as the 
finest red Caladium yet raised. The parents of it 
were Madame E. Pynaert and Gaspard Crayer. 
Duke of York must also be associated with the 
above, as all the four have been honoured with an 
Award of Merit, and are noted for their dwarf char¬ 
acter. The leaves are rosy-carmine with the 
principal ribs of a darker hue, and are supported by 
dark crimson petioles. The variety was raised from 
Candidum and Lillie Burke, and is pleasing and 
attractive. 
The combinations of colour in Tennyson are some¬ 
what different, the centre of the leaf being occupied 
with a large central blotch giving off prominent rays, 
while the outer area is bright green mottled with 
sulphur-yellow. In the case of Lord Rosebery the 
central area of the leaf is bright carmine, with the 
principal ribs more deeply coloured ; the margin is 
green, but immediately within this is a border of 
green spotted and marked with pale yellowish-green. 
Ladas makes up the seven belonging to this group, 
and is of medium size. The leaves are green, beau¬ 
tifully marbled or blotched with pink in the spaces 
between the principal ribs, which are brilliant 
carmine. For decorative purposes generally all of 
the above may be considered as acquisitions to 
horticulture, for in a few years they can hardly fail 
to find their way into every garden where fine 
foliaged subjects are admired and appreciated for 
their intrinsic beauty and utility. 
-- 
THE STUDY OF BOTANY. 
Now that the dark pall of winter has arisen from the 
face of nature, and the revival of animation once again 
has begun to beautify the earth and gladden the 
heart of man, the time is at hand when the 
enthusiasm of the young gardener for the study of 
botany will get ample scope and exercise This 
season of the year has a peculiar interest to most 
people, inasmuch as it tends to the contemplation of 
the wonders of vegetation. He must be a strangely 
constituted person who has not felt an indiscribable 
pleasure in viewing the first verdant clump of Lilies 
or other early herbaceous plants break through the 
ground, or in the green half-expanded buds, in the 
early months of spring. 
Who that hath a soul has not experienced an 
intense admiration on discovering the first Primrose 
of the season peeping out from among its bed of 
withered grass and leaves ? These are feelings more 
or less common to mankind, but to some, however, 
such harbingers of spring have more than a general 
fascination. These, as a rule, become inspired with 
a love for a fuller acquaintance with plants. It is 
most astonishing how much the recurrence of the 
vernal vesture of nature influences the mind to the 
study of plants. We have known instances where young 
men, after completing a laborious day’s work at the 
spade or scythe, go twelve or more miles, night after 
night, in search of specimens for the herbarium, and 
were not in the least degree fatigued or unfitted for 
the resumption of their hard duties on the ensuing 
mornings. Many of these were woefully handicapped 
in the pursuit of their pet recreation. They studied 
under the most adverse circumstances. They were 
far from centres of knowledge, and books were 
beyond their limited means. In one particular 
instance the only book available was the herbal of 
" Culpepper,” a book from which much valuable 
instruction was derived. 
The study of botany is an extremely important 
subject for the young gardener in the earlier stages 
of his initiation to the profession. The mind is 
trained to apply the faculty of observation correctly, 
as well as to become familiar with many important 
plant functions of extreme value to the gardener in 
his profession. It is useless to enumerate the 
multiplicity of advantages the knowledge of botany 
procures to the gardener. Botany and gardening 
are so intimately associated that even to the 
uninitiated their correlation is palpable. And when 
such is the case it requires little to be said in the 
vindication of botany as a necessary qualification in 
the perfection of gardening. It must be observed, 
however, by beginners that botany does not consist of 
what is very often supposed—a mere means for 
acquiring a knowledge of the names of plants, and 
how to distinguish them by their external appearance. 
So far as it goes, this serves a laudable purpose, but 
it must not be supposed that it ends there. 
The science of botany has a much higher and 
nobler aim, inasmuch as it endeavours to solve by 
anatomical and physiological investigation not only 
the complex mysteries of plant life and structure 
but their relation to one another, and the 
economical value they represent in the great 
garden of nature. And to investigate into the uses 
for which plants are designed by the Almighty we 
hold is a duty not less imperative for those brought 
into daily or constant contact with plants, than any 
of the other duties we are called upon to perform. 
There is noone so peculiarly constituted who has not, 
at some particular period of his existence, been able 
to appreciate the beauty of the vegetable world in 
some form or other. The fact of this capacity being 
so universally diffused goes far to demonstrate the 
special claims that the study of plants have on our 
attentions. 
All who can admire the beauty of plants cannot, 
however, be expected to pursue their study 
philosophically, but it is none the less true on that 
account that most can derive much pleasure and 
valuable instruction from the merest superficial 
acquaintance with their outward forms. And this 
circumstance may, forsooth, happily tend to De a 
powerful incentive to a greater and more laudable 
study and research. But apart from the utilitarian 
aspect altogether much benefit is derived from the 
study of plants. What can offer a more profound 
and lasting pleasure to anyone than a holiday in the 
woods, fields, or hills equipped with spud and 
botanical box in search of specimens for the her¬ 
barium ? 
Nothing is likely to be a more productive of 
mutual improvement, or more conducive in forming 
the bonds of a sincere and life-long friendship 
between young gardeners. Seas and oceans may 
divide them in after life, but how much of the past 
can be reproduced by a look at an occasional time 
into the herbarium, whose every subject is surrounded 
with a hiatus of pleasing associations which link 
them with old times and friends.— D. Chisholm. 
DAPHNE MEZEREUM. 
While it cannot be stated with any vestige of truth 
that the past winter has been anything else than one 
of the most trying ones within the memory of the 
“oldest inhabitant,” and although we must all admit 
that it has occasioned very considerable and in most 
cases serious losses to both the private gardener and 
the nurseryman still the great frost of 1894-95 has 
not been entirely without its redeeming features. 
With the blissful uncertainty with which the laws of 
meteorology apply to our British Islands we never 
know exactly what to expect for two years; perhaps 
nothing like a severe or a protracted spell of frost and 
snow visits us, and then may be just as we are 
expecting to get through a third season unscathed 
King Frost takes it into his wayward fancy to assert 
his right to reign in no very gentle fashion, with 
the result that the deaths among the ranks of the 
tenders of our hardy plants are proportionately in¬ 
creased. Still it is fortunately but seldom that so 
much damage is done as has been the case during 
the late winter. 
Of spring bedding plants there will likely be a con¬ 
siderable scarcity. Violas, Carnations, etc. have 
suffered severely, and even the usually hardy Wall¬ 
flower which in most cases will stand any amount 
of frost and cold weather been unable to abide such 
a continuance of King Frost's aggravated severity. 
This much then the sharp winter has done. It has 
proved which are the most dependable of our out¬ 
door plants and thus shown us in no uncertain way 
the subjects upon which it is safest for the gardener 
to pin his faith to. The splendidly hardy qualities 
of Daphne Mezereum and its white variety D. M. 
alba have been abundantly demonstrated. A couple 
of beds filled with it in Kew Gardens close to the 
entrance to Pagoda Avenue are at the present time a 
perfect mass of the sweet-scented red or purple flowers 
and a finer sight than they present can scarcely be 
imagined. In fact the frost does not seem to have 
injured the blooming qualities of the plants, which 
are some two feet in height, in the least to judge from 
the display they are now making. 
We have noticed Daphne Mezereum in several 
gardens in various parts of the country, but it is 
usually only represented by a solitary specimen in 
a corner of a shrubbery, a position in which it does 
not exhibit itself to the best advantage. It is only 
when grown in conspicuous masses as at Kew that 
its true value and beauty becomes apparent. It is a 
great pity that hardy, early flowering plants of this 
description are not used more for bedding purposes 
