December 17, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
247 
the leaves, and which have been compared to 
hieroglyphical writings. The latter take the form 
of irregular bands, and blotches of a deep olive-green 
on a light green ground. These markings unite in a 
common band, running across the entire leaf on both 
surfaces. The component blotches of colour do not 
completely unite, but appear like a series of char¬ 
acters not to say letters of some ancient people, 
exquisitely delineated on the leaf. The markings 
are also shaded with violet or purple at certain 
stages of growth or under certain conditions. The 
plant grows very slowly, and the leaves remain in 
excellent form for years. There are some fine 
specimens of it in the nursery of Messrs. B. S. 
Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. Occasionally 
we see it under the name of Tillandsia hieroglyphica, 
and the species is included in the genus by the Geneva. 
Plantarum. 
IPOMCEA RUBRO-CCERU LEA. 
The flowers of this showy climber are not so large 
as those of I. Learii, nor quite of the same shape. 
The corolla is hardly lobed, but it is distinctly five¬ 
angled. The general colour is bright blue with a 
pale purple band running down from each of the five 
angles. This is the condition when fully expanded, 
but while still in bud the tube is white and the 
plaited lamina of a lake-red colour. As the flower 
fades the crumpled corolla again becomes red. The 
leaves are heart-shaped, but often deeply three-lobed. 
The plant is an evergreen, herbaceous climber, 
attaining a considerable height when trained under 
the rafters of the house, and keep on producing 
flowers in their axils for many weeks together. The 
species comes from Mexico, and is said to flower in 
July and August, but was recently if not still 
flowering in one of the stoves at Falkland Park, 
South Norwood Hill. Climbers of this class receive 
comparatively little attention at the present day, but 
there seems no reason why they should not be 
plentiful in our stoves, seeing that they bloom so far 
into the winter. 
THE BARBADOS LILY. 
The above name applies to Hippeastrum equestre, 
which grows wild in the West Indies as well as on 
the mainland of South America, both on the east 
and west side. It was originally introduced to this 
country in 1810, but does not seem to have come 
into the same favour as several others of the species 
which are more or less extensively cultivated at the 
present day. A number of plants may be seen in 
flower in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., 
Clapton. They have been recently imported, and 
many of them were throwing up their flower spikes 
when received. Those were not potted up in the 
ordinary way, but put in a mixture of peat and 
sphagnum, many of them being entirely in the latter 
and inserted in 6o-size pots. Here they are flower¬ 
ing beautifully, with stems 12 in. to i8in. high, 
bearing two to four flowers each. The flowers are 
funnel-shaped with ovate segments, except the lower 
one which is smaller and lanceolate. The whole 
bloom is of a soft red with darker veins and a 
greenish-yellow throat. The plant is by no means 
bulky and its flowering at this time of the year 
serves to brighten up the stove. 
THE NEW HOLLAND PITCHER PLANT. 
A plant or two of this about an establishment is 
always interesting on account of the close resem¬ 
blance of the pitcher to that of a Nepenthes. The 
latter requires stove treatment, whereas the plantunder 
notice (Cephalotus follicularis) may be grown, and 
in fact does best, in cool greenhouse treatment. The 
resemblance of the pitchers to those of a Nepenthes 
extends to the shape of the pitchers, the presence of 
wings and a richly-coloured lid, but there is in ad¬ 
dition an elevated ridge along the front and which 
runs out into two edges at the top. The annulus 
round the mouth is ridged, and as a rule more deeply 
tinted with purple than the body of the pitcher. 
The lid is the most highly-coloured part of it and is 
striped and splashed with crimson, rose and white, 
the clear spots giving it a windowed appearance such 
as we see in Sarracenia. Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., 
Clapton, keep the plant in a cool house amongst 
Orchids, covering it with a bell-glass at night and 
leaving it uncovered during the day. A more 
vigorous growth is made when the plants are so 
protected. By removing the glass during the day 
the pitchers get more highly coloured. 
ROSES FROM CUTTINGS. 
Having made 132 cuttings of six varieties of Roses 
on the 5th October, somewhat late, I am delighted 
to be able to state that a few rooted in nine days, 
the major portion in twenty, and they were all rooted 
ana potted up some time ago, except one small 
cutting, and even it is not dead. I may send you a 
note on how that was accomplished shortly.— John 
Baxter, Daldowie. — (Please do.— Ed.] 
CHEAP RAISINS. 
A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph 
points out that there is a considerable range in 
the price of raisins. The bulk of the fruit is cheaper 
than it has been for years, as at 3d. and 4d. per lb. 
a much superior article can be bought : but at the 
Christmas season high-class grocers always create a 
demand for the very best Valencias, Sultanas, and 
Currants obtainable. Necessarily these qualities 
are in limited supply, and as the result of spirited 
competition high prices have to be paid for them by 
the wholesale dealer. Considering that at public 
auction last week 5^d. and over 6d. per lb. was given 
for small parcels of the finest fruit, the retailer's 
margin of profit is small when he sells at 6d. or 'jd. 
per lb. and has had to defray the cost of carriage 
and meet the waste in cleaning. Raisins of the 
dearest kind often return less profit to the grocer 
than the lower-priced fruit. 
PLANTS FOR WINTER-FLOWERING. 
Now that the Chrysanthemum season is nearly at 
an end, it behoves gardeners who are called upon to 
supply quantities of cut-flowers, and flowering plants 
for decorative work, to turn their attention to some 
other plants for that purpose which are not so much 
taken, advantage of as they might be. Those who are 
fortunate in having a light airy span-roof or semi¬ 
span house, can easily have a good show all through 
the winter, independent of Chrysanthemums. If 
cuttings of Zonal Pelargoniums, Marguerites, and 
Carnations are taken in hand in spring, and grown 
on well during the summer and autumn in cold 
frames, they should be at their best now. If a 
temperature of about 45 0 by night is maintained it 
suits them admirably. An early sowing of Primulas, 
sinensis and obconica, can be had in splendid form 
at the present time. Then again we can have Arum 
Lilies, and what grand house plants these make, 
either grown singly in small pots or a number grown 
together in tubs ; they are worth growing in quantity 
if only for their handsome foliage. All these plants 
are easily procured, and if well grown are very 
highly appreciated at this dull season of the year.— 
P. McCowan. 
PHYSALIS CAPSICI FOLIA. 
Physalis [capsicifolia, “capsicum-leaved” or 
“pepper-leaved Physalis."— From a botanical 
point of view, this is one of the most interesting 
species of Physalis in cultivation. It is exceedingly 
variable, and it appears as if distinct varieties can 
be readily bred from it. We have grown it under 
two or three names. It is usually called, though 
erroneously, Physalis edulis. This name is mis¬ 
leading, for the fruit is really scarcely edible 
because of its very pronounced mawkish flavour. 
The fruit is far the largest and handsomest of any 
Physalis which I have grown, and it is not impro¬ 
bable that we may be able to obtain a desirable 
variety from it. The plant is exceedingly produc¬ 
tive, and adapts itself to almost any soil or condition. 
It grows erect to a height of three or four feet, bear¬ 
ing smooth branches and leaves. The leaves are 
thin, ovate or lance-ovate and variously toothed or 
notched. The flowers are large and open (f in. or 
more across), the border bright yellow and the 
throat bearing five black-brown spots; anthers 
purplish. The husk is entirely filled by the large 
round sticky berry, and is sometimes torn open by it. 
This plant is supposed to be a native of South 
America or the West Indies. It was early grown in 
gardens, perhaps because of its supposed medicinal 
properties. Dr. Sherard obtained it in Holland in 
the last century and grew it in his garden at Eltham, 
England, and Dillenius figured it in 1774. Martyn 
described it in 1807, but says nothing about its uses. 
An interesting feature of the plant is its great varia¬ 
bility. Dillenius figured the leaves as nearly entire, 
and Dunal, who named the plant, so describes them ; 
but the greater part of the cultivated specimens 
have conspicuously toothed leaves.— L. H. Bailey, 
Cornell University. 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural, Dec. 131/1.—The display on 
Tuesday last was much larger than might have been 
anticipated at this season of the year. Orchids, 
Chrysanthemums, and fruit were strongly repre¬ 
sented, particularly the two former. A fine group of 
Calanthes was shown by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, 
(grower, Mr. W. H. White), Burford Lodge, Dork¬ 
ing. Some of the darkest and richest were C. 
Burfordiense, and C. Veitchi splendens ; good light- 
coloured varieties were C. versicolor, C. rosea, and 
C. nivea. They were set up with Ferns. He had 
fine pieces of Dendrobium Burfordiense and Sophro- 
nites grandiflora. A Silver Banksian Medal was 
awarded. A small but varied and beautiful group 
was shown by Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton, 
including fine pieces of Cypripedium bellatulum, C. 
Leeanum, C. Chamberlainianum, Saccolabium 
giganteum, S. bellinum, and many others. A small 
group of Orchids of various kinds was also shown 
by Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, 
including Calanthe Owe niana, Cypripedium Hookeri- 
Veitchi, C. Enfieldense, C. Pitcherianum var., and 
Laslia autumnalis alba. A small group of Cypri- 
pediums, chiefly C. insigne, of which there were 
twelve varieties, was shown by Messrs. Pitcher & 
Manda, Hextable, Swanley, Kent. They also showed 
C. Niobe, Short Hills var., a pretty and dwarf 
variety. A larger group was set up by Messrs. F. 
Sander & Co., St. Albans. Noticeable were Cypri¬ 
pedium Johnsonianum, C. insigne Sanderae (the gem 
of the lot), C. Leeanum Audenshaw var., C. insigne 
Upper Burmah var., spotted with violet all over the 
upper half, also Laelia Gouldiana, Odontoglossum 
Insleayi splendens, and others, furnishing a consider¬ 
able amount of variety. Some Cypripediums were 
shown by Chas. Ingram, Esq. (grower, Mr. T. W. 
Bond), Godaiming, Surrey, including C. Charles 
Reffold, C. marmorophyllum superbum, C. Lathami- 
anum inversum. Laelia Fincheniana was shown by 
C. W. Finchen, Esq. (grower, Mr. Milburn), Hoy- 
land Hall, Barnsley. Some fresh flowers, and also 
some dried ones, of Cattleya Alexandra were ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. Linden, L'Horticulture Inter¬ 
nationale, Parc Leopold, Brussels. A plant of the 
same Cattleya was shown by B. D. Knox, Esq. 
(grower, Mr. j. Lawrence), Ardmillan, Caversham. 
A Bronze Medal was awarded to Phillip Crowley, 
Esq., Waddon House, Croydon, for some huge 
pieces of Cypripedium insigne and Zygopetalum 
Mackayi, all well flowered. Some fine Cypripediums 
and the curious and interesting Pleurothallis punc- 
tulata were exhibited by R. J. Measures, Esq. 
(grower, Mr. Simpkins), Camberwell. The White 
Vanda teres was shown by C. W. Lea, Esq. (grower, 
Mr. A. G. Catt), Parkfield, Hallow. Cattleya labiata 
alba and some Cypripediums were shown by M. 
Wells, Esq. (grower, Mr. R. Hinde), Broomfield, 
Sale. Cattleya amethystoglossa, Selwood var., was 
shown by G. D. Owen, Esq. (grower, Mr. B. Watts), 
Selwood, Rotherham, as well as Lmlia anceps 
Oweniana. W. Thompson, Esq. (grower, Mr. W. 
Stevens), Walton Grange, Stone, showed Masde- 
vallia hybrida McVittiae. Small lots were also 
shown by Thos. Statter, Esq. (grower, Mr. R. John¬ 
son), Stand Hall, Manchester; by Mr. W Bolton, 
Warrington; and byW. E. Brymer, Esq. (grower, Mr. 
J. Powell), Puddletown, Dorchester. A Silver 
Banksian Medal was awarded to C. E. Smith, Esq. 
(grower, Mr. J. Quarterman), Silvermere, Cobham, 
for a , huge piece of Cypripedium insigne, bearing 
ninety-six blooms. It was growing in a large pot, 
but ten years ago it was in a 32-size pot. A large 
group of Cypripedium insigne and Calanthe Veitchi 
was shown by Mr. G. Wythes, gardener to the Duke 
of Northumberland, Syon House, Brentford. An 
interesting group of hybrid Cypripediums was ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, 
including C. Areti, C. Pheres, C. Oenone, and a 
handsome bi-generic hybrid Sophro-Cattleya, 
Calypso, with flowers of good size. 
A Silver Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
Pitcher & Manda, Hextable, Swanley, for a large 
collection of Chrysanthemums in fine condition. 
Some of the more striking we noted were Miss Ada 
McVicker, Mrs. Lay, Pearl Beauty, Mrs. Libbie 
Allen, Lord Brooke, Etoile de Lyon, Mrs. E. D. 
Adams and Mademoiselle Marie Recoura. A Silver 
Flora Medal was awarded to Mr. H. B. May, 
Dyson’s Lane, Upper Edmonton, for a collection of 
