July 8, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
707 
amongst the best to be had. An early variety and 
the best of its kind is Horace. The stems are only 
12 in. to 16 in. high most floriferous, and already 
quite a sight to see. The blooms are of a bright 
clear scarlet, showing off the variety wherever the 
eye rests upon it. The quantity of it grown also 
indicates its usefulness for decorative purposes and 
the estimation in which it is held. It is also very 
useful for winter work in pots. The flowers of 
Danger are of a most intense or dazzling soldier’s 
scarlet, as it is described, and certainly the richest in 
the collection, but they are moderate in size with few 
petals. The stems grow 2 ft. high. The flowers of 
Napoleon III are scarlet-red and of large size. The 
darkest flower we noted was Due de Rageuse, of a 
maroon crimson. The intense purple, open flowers 
of Mrs. C. W. Empson are certainly handsome of 
their kind. Beauty of Foxhall is considerably lighter 
in colour, but still of a rich purple. 
The best yellow variety, namely, Pride of Great 
Britain, is not in the general collection as the stock is 
still kept in pots in order to secure as much increase 
as possible. Germania still holds its own as a very 
refined flower, but it is not so vigorous for border 
work as is Pride of Penshurst, which, although less 
refined, still earns a considerable amount of favour 
on account of its being more easily grown under 
ordinary treatment. The dry weather has prevented 
Germania from making much grass for layering pur¬ 
poses. Another yellow sort is August Guerin, about 
12 in. to 18 in. high with clear yellow flowers that 
are rather small this year. It is inclined to sport 
and occasionally produces, a yellow ground Picotee 
on the same stems with yellow flowers. The flowers 
of Lewis Jarvis are clear yellow with slightly toothed 
petals. A yellow ground variety is Allen Anscombe, 
the flowers of which are striped with rose and 
carmine. The terra-cotta Mrs. Reynolds Hole, or as 
some describe it salmon-apricot, is now flowering 
with freedom, but the long continued drought and 
great heat seems to have affected the intensity of the 
colour some what. The advent of cooler weather, 
however, may restore its wonderfully distinct hue, as 
the later produced flowers open. 
--*»- 
NOTES ON MANURES. 
Professor W. P. Brooks has the following notes 
drawn out on artificial fertilisers :— 
1. Fodder crops, pasture grasses, corn stover and 
hay all remove large amounts of potash from the 
soil, and these crops occupy a large proportion of our 
improved lands. 
2. The urine of our domestic animals contains 
about four-fifths of the total potash of their 
excrements. 
3. When urine is allowed to waste, the manure is 
poor in potash. 
4. When manures are exposed to rains, much of 
the potash, being soluble, is washed away. 
5. Nearly all the special fertilisers are especially 
rich in phosphoric acid, and do not contain enough 
potash. 
6. Superphosphates were the first fertilisers to 
come into general use among our farmers. 
7. When the farmer buys a fertiliser, he still, nine 
times out of ten, calls for a phosphate. 
8. As a result of the above conditions, our soils 
seem to be quite generally in need of more liberal 
applications of potash. 
g. In the case of corn the need of potash appears 
to be particularly prominent. 
10. For a good crop of corn the fertiliser used 
should supply 100 to 125 lb. of actual potash per acre; 
200 to 250 lb. of muriate of potash or one ton (5obu.) 
of good wood ashes will do this. 
11. With ordinary farm or stable manure it will 
generally pay to use some potash for corn ; 125 to 
150 lb. of muriate of potash has given profitable 
results. 
12. The liberal use of potash means more clover 
in our fields, more nitrogen taken from the air, more 
milk in the pail, a richer manure heap, and 
storehouses and barns full to overflowing. It means 
also a sod which, when turned, will help every other 
crop. 
13. For the potato crop the sulphate appears to be 
much superior to the muriate of potash, promoting 
both yield and quality in much higher degree ; 300 
to 400 lb. of high grade sulphate of potash furnishes 
enough of this element. 
14. For oats, rye, and grass, nitrate of soda 
applied just as the growth begins in spring has 
proved very beneficial ; 300 to 400 lb. per acre 
should be applied.— Farmer and Stockbreeder. 
CONCERNING POTATOS. 
A very serious problem is presenting itself to 
growers of Potatos in all directions as to the best 
course to take to check growing out or protuberation 
in the case of the earliest varieties. This sort of 
phenomenon may be difficult of explanation, but still 
it seems to result only after there has been a distinct 
check given to the swelling of the tubers, so that 
when slight rainfalls come that simply moisten the 
surface of the soil and do not penetrate to the roots, 
the crown eyes of the tubers have a faculty of 
bursting into new growth, as it were, in search of 
the moisture, although no doubt the moisture forces 
the growth from the young tubers in a way not easily 
understood or elucidated. Still, there can be no 
question that this supertuberating follows only when 
there are still green tops to the Potato plants. If 
these be destroyed or pulled, or in any way checked 
from action, no supertuberating will follow. 
Already in many cases this protuberation has 
begun, and where it is so, it is most obvious that 
whilst the newly forming tubers must be useless the 
previously formed tubers will be comparatively 
worthless also. If the haulm be pulled there is an 
end of the matter. On the other hand tubers are still 
so moderately small that few care to sacrifice the 
chance of getting a little more size on so long as a 
green leaf is left. That causes great risk, and it 
must be chanced so long as the tops remain. With 
regard to late and strong growing varieties there is, 
so far, no harm done, but then even they, rooting 
deeply and having a broad leafage to sustain them, 
cannot long endure such persistent dryness. They 
may not supertuberate, although that seems to be 
very possible, but the tubers must bo small. Alto¬ 
gether the lookout for our Potato crop of the year 
is far from being at present a hopeful one.— A. D. 
--S-- 
SOCIETIES. 
Richmond Horticultural —This popular suburban 
society held its annual show in the Old Deer Park, 
on Wednesday, June 28th, when the exhibits pro¬ 
vided for in the lengthy schedule were arranged in 
four large tents, but owing to the dry and early 
season the Rose and fruit tents were not quite so 
well filled as in former years. In the class for a 
group of plants arranged for effect, 100 square feet, 
Mr. Fordham, nurseryman, Twickenham, was first, 
with a very effective arrangement, consisting of good 
Gloxinias, Liliums, Crotons, etc. J. Marriott, Esq., 
of Coventry (Mr. Finch, gardener), was second. In 
the local class for a group, F. Wigan, Esq., Clare 
Lawn, East Sheen (Mr. Want, gardener), came in 
first; and for six stove and greenhouse plants in 
flower Mr. Marriott’s gardener secured premier 
honours with a very good lot, including Ixora 
Frazeri, Erica Parmentieriana, and Phoenocoma 
prolifera. Among the other exhibits in the largest 
tent was a very fine group, not for competition, from 
Mr. McLeod, gardener to J. P. Morgan, Esq., Dover 
House, Roehampton. This occupied about 200 
square feet, and contained a very fine lot of well 
grown plants. Mr. Turner, of Slough, sent two 
groups, one of Carnations and one of Pelargoniums, 
both very good. Other good groups were also 
contributed by H. Little, Esq., Messrs. John Laing 
& Sons, Forest Hill, Messrs. J. Peed & Sons, Messrs. 
Puddock & Sheppard, Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, 
Chelsea, Mr. W. Iceton, Putney, and Messrs. Hugh 
Low & Co. Roses from the trade growers were 
good, Mr. B. R. Cant being first for forty-eight 
trebles, and Messrs. Paul & Son, second ; and for 
eighteen trebles Mr. Mount, of Canterbury, was first. 
The Roses from local growers were not so good as 
usual. Hardy flowers in the class for twenty-four 
bunches were shown, Mr. M. Prichard, of Christ¬ 
church, who was first, showing amongst other good 
things Polemonium Richardsoni alba, a very pretty 
plant, and a spike of the true Eryngiun alpinum, 
which was very much admired by everyone. In the 
fruit classes Mr. T. Osman, of Chertsey, was first, 
having especially good Grapes. Mr. Sage, of Ham 
House, was second. Mr. Osman had also the best three 
bunches of Black Grapes, Mr. Ellis, of Hounslow, 
being second. Peaches and Nectarines were not 
largely shown, Mr. Simmonds, gardener to W. 
Cunard, Esq., Orleans House, being first in both 
classes with fine samples. In the various classes for 
vegetables the first prizes were taken by Mr. Waite, 
Esher, Mr. W'ilkins, Inwood, and Mr. Sage, Ham 
House. Considering the season these were all very 
good. 
EL^EAGNUS EDULIS. 
The name accepted by botanists for this plant is E. 
longipes and it has a synonym in E crispa. It is 
best known in gardens and nurseries, however, under 
the name of E. edulis, doubtless on account of its 
edible berries. Some of our American con¬ 
temporaries have even figured it as a desirable new 
fruit to augment the supply and give variety to the 
dessert table, along with the Japanese Wineberry 
(Rubus phceniculosus). The Elseagnus under notice 
"as introduced to British gardens from Japan in 
I ^73> and is remarkable both for the quantity of 
fragrant flowers it will produce and the weight of 
fruit in favourable seasons. A large bush about Oft. 
or 8 ft. high, in the nursery of Mr. T. S. Ware, 
Tottenham, has had to be tied up to prevent the 
weight of fruit from bearing the bush down to the 
ground. The berries are oval and of a dark red, 
dotted with small rusty scales, and have a certain 
amount of acidity which is very agreeable to some 
palates. They are suitable either as dessert or for 
making jam, are good for allaying thirst, and are 
very juicy, with a small stone in the centre. It is 
perfectly hardy and would make a capital subject for 
a lawn when in fruit. 
-- 
©Ipntngs fount the ©mitt 
uf Science. 
New Case of Apospory. —Hitherto apospory 
has only been found to occur on adult Fern plants. 
Last year, however, a very'singular and interesting 
instance of it was discovered on a seedling Fern, the 
largest frond of which was only J in. long, and still 
attached to the prothallus. It was detected by Mr. 
C. T. Druery, in a Wardian case kept close but 
cool in July last year. A fully developed prothallus 
had grown out from the tip of the miniature frond 
of the seedling, and bore rhizoids on the under 
surface, as well as antheridia, but no clearly defined 
archegonia, although the cushion from which they 
might be expected actually existed. Close examina¬ 
tion cf the lateral pinnae of this frond also revealed 
a number of rudimentary prothalli, bearing root 
hairs in some instances. The next frond, after 
attaining its full development, gave rise to numerous 
prothalli at all points and edges, as well as a host of 
them on the flat surface along the midrib. When the 
seedling had made some progress it was determined 
to be a tasselled form of Lastrea Pseudo-mas cristata 
which Professor Farlow has found to be constantly 
apogamous. Mr. Druery surmises that apospory in 
this instance is connected with and possibly the 
outcome of apogamy, and reasoning from this he 
does not think that plants so produced will be con¬ 
stant, but on the contrary that it will be to a certain 
extent unstable. His observations are recorded in 
the " Journal of the Linnean Society,” vol, xxix., p. 
479 - 
The Germination of Palms. —An interesting 
paper on the germination of Palms, from the pen of 
M. Henri Micheels, appears in the Revue de VHorti¬ 
culture Beige for July. He treats chiefly on the form 
of the first few leaves of the germinating seedling; 
and notwithstanding the great sameness that prevails 
amongst a large number of them, a considerable 
amount of variety may be detected in the order. 
The portion of the cotyledon which leaves the seed, 
shows a slit from which the plumule arises. The 
first leaf in a large number of cases is reduced to its 
sheath, which is more or less pointed as a rule, rigid, 
and serving as an organ for piercing the soil, while 
it encloses and protects all the younger leaves. In 
certain Palms the second and third leaves are also 
reduced to their sheaths, and in general characters 
resemble the first. According to a sketch by Karsten, 
representing the germination of Iriartea praemorsa, 
that Palm has the first four leaves reduced to their 
sheaths. The first normal leaf possesses a lamina of 
a particular form, which gives to the plant its-char¬ 
acteristic physiognomy. In some cases the first leaf 
is entire and pointed ; in other cases truncate and 
laciniate at the apex ; in others the first leaf is bifid ; 
sometimes it is two-parted with the extremities cut ; 
again pinnatisect, or in Caryota divided into two 
half triangular portions with a filament between 
them. 
The Carnation : its History, Properties, and Management, 
with a descriptive list of the best varieties in cultivation. By 
E. S. Dodwell. Third edition, with supplementary chapter on 
the Yellow Ground. London: Gardening World Office, 1, 
Clement's Inn Strand, W.C. is: 6 d.; post free, is. 7d.— Ad.] 
