620 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 25, 1895. 
the wood to ripen better than in the case of plants 
that had not been moved, and which the mild 
weather kept in a state of activity up till Christmas. 
It may have been due to this latter cause that un¬ 
transplanted Roses have fared so badly during 
January and February last. On former occasions I 
have been assured by those who grow Roses on an 
extensive scale that the lifted ones suffered most, 
and that, too, at the surface of the ground where the 
stems entered the ground, more especially where no 
mulching had been given previous to the advent of 
frost. Not being under the necessity of doing much 
transplanting my observations and experience lead 
me to believe that the mortality amongst Roses is 
very much a question of variety and position. Teas 
are more liable to suffer than hybrid perpetuals, but 
when the former are planted in low wet situations 
the weaker varieties get very much cut up.— Ad 
rein. 
THE CHINESE CRAB. 
Those who possess this fine old tree cannot but be 
delighted with it at the present time, for seldom or 
never has it been seen so profusely laden with 
blossom. In this it accords with fruit trees of most 
kinds, but particularly Apples, Pears and Cherries. 
What will fruit growers say about the ripening of the 
wood in order to be well set with flower buds ? The 
latter part or three parts of last summer was com¬ 
paratively sunless and wet enough in all conscience 
to blight the chances of a crop, if sunshine were 
necessary to the production of one. It seems to be 
a question of moisture at the roots as much as sun¬ 
shine overhead. Observers have long been aware of 
of this fact in the case of Peaches under glass, and 
whose roots used to be kept dry after the crop was 
gathered or at least when the leaves were falling in 
order to hasten their falling and the ripening of the 
wood. To return to the Chinese Crab (Pyrus specta- 
bilis) it will be noticed that its conspicuous character 
is in a large measure due as much to the great size 
of the semi-double blossoms as to their absolute 
numbers. When on the point of expansion the buds 
are of a warm deep rose, tinted with red or crimson 
more or less, but as they become fully developed they 
assume a soft rosy pink hue, as in the case of many 
other ornamental species of the Apple tribe. It is 
more than a hundred years since it was first 
introduced, yet is anything but so common as it 
might be in the parks and pleasure grounds of private 
estates. The crabs or fruits are greenish yellow and 
like those of the Medlar and Service Tree are edible 
only when they have become bletted. That is no 
drawback however to the tree as an ornamental 
subject .—Ad rent. 
HERBACEOUS CALCEOLARIAS. 
The herbaceous Calceolaria is one of our best 
plants for conservatory decoration, and when one 
has the chance of seeing such a splendid batch as 
was my privilege last week in the nurseries of Mr. 
John Forbes, Hawick. They are all the more 
impressed with the fact that they ought to be repre¬ 
sented in every establishment, no matter how small 
it may be. Mr. Forbes’s strain was, if not perfec¬ 
tion, as near it as anyone could wish to see, the 
plants being of a compact leafy habit, with dwarf, 
bushy heads of flower of many rich and varied 
shades of colour, a few seifs, amongst which might 
be seen yellow, orange, crimson, and maroon ; others 
finely blotched and mottled, such as yellow, blotched 
crimson or maroon, orange spotted maroon, and 
crimson spotted yellow, and no sign of those washed- 
out colours so common amongst inferior strains. 
The individual blooms were large, of grand form 
and splendid texture, in magnificent clusters thrown 
well up above the foliage, and measuring not more 
than 18 in. from the top of the pot.— Visitor. 
SCHIZOCODON SOLDANELLOIDES 
The introduction of this little Japanese evergreen 
herb in a live state about three years ago was a 
matter of exceeding interest to the botanist as well 
as every one interested in hardy plant culture. It 
may still be fresh in the memory of our readers that 
Captain Torrens, Baston Manor, Hayes, Kent, 
brought it from the Sulphur Mountains in Japan, 
carrying it in short pieces of Bamboo by way of 
pots. A few only of his plants survived the journey, 
(two if we rightly remember) and they have been 
kept in a cold frame where they have been flowering 
every year. One of the plants was sent to Kew, 
where we hear it has since died, but some pieces 
having been taken off and established separately, 
one of them was planted on the rockery at Baston 
Manor where it stood out the whole of last winter, 
thus proving its perfect hardiness notwithstanding 
the fact that it was exposed to 41 0 , 42 0 and39° of frost 
on three successive nights during last February. This 
small plant bore three expanded flowers last week, 
and in all probability it is the first plant ever flowered 
in the open air in England, or even grown in the 
open air. Mr. William Pascoe, the gardener who 
has the plants in charge, showed the mother plant in 
a pot at the Drill Hill, Westminster, on the 14th. 
It had just finished flowering, but bore thirty-three 
flowers the second week of May. It had grown well 
and looked healthy, but it is difficult to propagate. 
Though closely resembling our European Soldanella, 
especially in the flowers, it is related to the equally 
interesting Shortia galacifolia. 
THE CAMASSIA. 
A bold and stately bulbous plant was exhibited at 
the Botanical Gardens, Regent’s Park, on Wednes¬ 
day last, by Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, 
that promises to be a worthy addition to the summer 
flower border in the bulb garden. It was Camassia 
esculenta alba, and had large star-shaped white 
flowers, with a raceme bearing from twelve to twenty 
well expanded blcoms about 2 in. in diameter. 
Flowering at this season indicates that it is earlier 
to bloom than C. esculenta and others. The 
Camassias are useful subjects for grouping in garden 
borders, and very effective. They should be planted 
say from twelve bulbs or more in a group in deep, 
rich, sandy, moist soil. C. Leichtlini has numerous 
large creamy-white flowers, C. Fraseri pale blue, very 
beautiful, and C. esculenta has deep blue flowers, 
and is one of the most useful for cutting for vases. 
The Camassias grow from ij ft. to 3 ft. high, and 
are hardy.—IF. L. 
SOLOMON'S SEAL. 
We have a very old garden favourite in the 
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum), P. multiflorum, a 
native of Great Britain. Its elegant and graceful 
habit renders it one of the most attractive objects in 
the garden, and it certainly deserves a prominent 
position in every collection of hardy plants, produc¬ 
ing as it does from the axils of the gracefully 
recurved leaves numerous white flowers with 
emerald green tips in twos, threes, and fours which 
are very fragrant. Strong crowns may be lifted and 
planted in pots and grown in the conservatory, 
where they make a lovely contrast with foliage 
plants. A sandy loam is the most suitable soil for 
them.—IF. L. 
HERBACEOUS PAEONIES. 
The herbaceous Paeonies are pushing forward with 
rapid strides, and will soon be a glare of colour in 
the gardens. At the recent show held at Regent’s 
Park, one of the single European varieties was very 
noticeable and attractive, viz., P. officinalis, var. 
Sabini, exhibited by Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent 
Garden. Its handsome, globular-shaped, rich deep 
crimson flowers upon its light green foliage stood 
out well mixed with such kinds as P. Northern 
Glory, a soft rose; P. officinalis Anemoneiflora, 
flowers crimson with twisted crimson stamens edged 
yellow, very handsome; and the miniature P. 
tenuifolia, with crimson flowers and feathery-like 
foliage. When seen in the herbaceous borders no 
plants could be more beautiful, for the combined 
stateliness of growth and beauty of colour, and easy 
culture, are essential qualities for large gardens. 
They will thrive luxuriantly in almost any good 
ordinary garden soil, enriched with decomposed cow 
manure. They prefer a partially shaded position 
from the hot sun’s rays.—IF. L. 
-+•- 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Botanic, 15 th May.— The summer exhibition of 
this Society was held on the above date under far 
more favourable auspices with regard to weather 
than on several previous occasions, and there was a 
large attendance of people in the afternoon, crowding 
the large marquee, notwithstanding the fact that the 
band was playing on the grass outside, instead of in 
the marquee as it has frequently been obliged to do. 
With exception of Azaleas the trained specimens of 
stove and greenhouse flowering plants had given place 
to groups of a more modern style. In the nursery¬ 
men’s class for a group of Azaleas, the first award was 
made to Mr. C. Turner, Slough, who had the best 
plants in the exhibition. Reine de Pays Bas, 
Apollon and Granais were the best flowered of his 
large specimens and M. V. Savart was a notable new 
one of a brilliant dark red colour. In the open class 
fcr a group of Azaleas Mr. W. Barrell, gardener to 
Mrs. Thornton, The Hoo, Sydenham Hill, took the 
first award with a varied lot of small plants. He 
was followed by Mr. R. Scott, gardener to Miss 
Foster, The Holme, Regent's Park. The same 
order of sequence was maintained in the amateurs' 
class for Azaleas, those of Mr. Barrell being well- 
flowered globular bushes. Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale 
Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, was awarded the first 
prize for a splendid group of tuberous Begonias. 
Double and single kinds were well mixed as were the 
colours, many of which were charmingly beautiful. 
Some of the finest kinds were Lord Rosebery, scarlet, 
Baroda,terra-cotta, MissFanny Joseph, rose, Claribel, 
orange-scarlet, and Miss Dolly Fell, white, all double. 
Mr. George Cragg, gardener to Walter C. Walker, 
Esq., Percy Lodge, Winchmore Hill, w-as awarded 
the first prize for a group of Orchids effectively 
arranged. S. T. Fischer, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Geo. 
Bond), The Grove, Streatham Hill, had the first 
prize for Gloxinias, which were of large size, and a 
second prize for a group of stove and greenhouse 
plants. Mr. R. Scott was second for Gloxinias. Mr. 
C. Turner had the first award for a splendid group 
of Pelargoniums both show and fancy, the former 
being represented by Lady Isabel, Spotted Beauty, 
Jce, Martial, and the new Mrs. Coombs, a white 
variety. The fancy varieties were most profusely 
flowered, especially Princess Teck, Delicatum, The 
Shah, and Fanny Gair. Mr. T. S. Ware again came 
to the front with herbaceous plants and his Lilies, 
Spiraeas, Irises, Trollius, Cypripediums, and others, 
were much admired by crowds of people. Messrs. 
Paul & Son, Cheshunt, were second, but the firm 
was awarded the first prize for a group of Roses in 
the nurserymen's class, showing large and well- 
flowered plants of Celine Forestier, Ulrich Brunner, 
and Edward Morren, and a second prize for Roses 
in another class. In this case Mr. Turner was first 
with dwarfer and floriferous specimens, including the 
gorgeous Crimson Rambler. 
The miscellaneous class was well represented, and 
n this Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, were 
awarded a Silver-Gilt Medal for a magnificent 
group of Palms, Caladiums, Orchids, Dra¬ 
caenas, Gloxinias, tuberous Begonias, Nepen¬ 
thes Mastersiana, and various other subjects 
all arranged in a most effective way on a 
sloping bank near the centre of the marquee. 
Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, received 
a similar award for a large group of dwarf, standard, 
and cut Roses arranged on another of the four 
sloping banks. Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, 
Upper Holloway, occupied a third bank in the 
centre with a group of stove plants such as Palms, 
Dracaenas, Caladiums, Anthuriums, Crotons, and 
others, interspersed with Amaryllis and other flower¬ 
ing subjects. They were accorded a large Silver 
Medal. Messrs. T. S. Rivers & Son, Sawbridge- 
worth, Herts, showed an imposing group of 
pyramid and bush specimens of Nectarines in pots, 
the fruits of which were superbly coloured. Peaches, 
Cherries, and Roses were interspersed amongst 
them, and the firm was accorded a Large Silver 
Medal. A similar award was made to Mr. Wm. 
Rumsey, Joynings Nurseries, Waltham Cross, for a 
large and imposing group of Roses arranged all over 
a convex bank of grass. Souvenir de S. A. Prince, 
also known as the Queen, Niphetos, Mrs. John 
Laing, Ulrich Brunner, and Marechal Niel were 
conspicuous in his collection. Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Chelsea, received a Silver Medal for a 
gorgeous exhibit of parrot Tulips, as well as florists’ 
varieties and breeders. Messrs. Dobbie & Co., 
Rothesay, exhibited a charming display of Violas of 
all the leading as well as new kinds, which we 
had a difficulty in approaching on account 
of the crowds of people that would linger 
to admire them (Small Silver Medal). Messrs. 
B. S. Williams & Son had an attractive 
collection of wreaths, bouquets, and baskets of 
