76 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 2, 1897. 
subverticillata, and flowering specimens of Alla- 
manda Williamsii and A. neriifolia. The Stephanotis- 
like, fragrant flowers of Schubertia graveolens 
adorn the roof. 
A large number of species of Masdevallias are 
located in one of the useful span-roofed houses. 
Flowering subjects here include Masdevallia dayana, 
Odontoglossums (grown in quantity), Oncidium ex- 
cavatuna.and the pretty Odontoglossum hastilabium. 
One bench is occupied with Ferns, including several 
forms of Nephrolepis. The Onion Plant (Ornithog- 
alum longebracteatum), well known in cottage 
windows all over the country, has been flowering for 
a long time past. Pretty also is the pale yellow 
Cytisus scoparius sulphureus. 
In another house we noted Pancratium fragrans, 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, and Tritonia 
rosea, all in bloom. Austin's Eclipse and Comet 
Tomatos are grown on one bench. Zonal and Ivy¬ 
leaved Pelargoniums, and Swainsonia galegifolia 
alba fill another house. The old double white 
Chinese Primula and Begonias, such as B. metallica 
and B. President Carnot, monopolise another house. 
Japanese Maples, Cytisus proliferus, and Passiflora 
caerulea purpurea are samples of the occupants of 
another structure. Others are Acacia pulchella, 
standard A. armata, Lilium auratum. Azaleas, and 
Rhododendrons in variety show what are popular 
here. Still another house is filled with Ferns, 
Asparagus, Eryngium bromeliaefolia, &c, for de¬ 
corative work. 
In the greenhouse are some tall and massive plants 
of Euonymus japonicus latifolius albus, Camellias, 
Palms, Cannas, Pelargoniums, Coleus, Liliums, 
Hydrangeas and Dicksonia antarctica. Good stuff 
of Begonia President Carnot will afford flowering 
plants for the winter. 
Leaving the hothouses at Camphill we passed 
through the shrubbery and nursery grounds around 
the base of the hill. Before they were acquired by 
the Corporation these grounds formed part of a 
private demesne. They are largely utilised for the 
rearing of shrubs, trees, &c., for the parks. A planta¬ 
tion of early flowering Chrysanthemums was very 
gay, including floriferous masses of Canary, Golden 
Shah, Piercy’s Seedling, Flora, &c. A weeping Ash 
about 35 ft. high is considered the finest in Scotland. 
We hope the feuing land will not be built upon, as it 
is planted with tall and fine trees. 
Maxwell and Bellahouston Parks. 
Maxwell Park consists of 21 acres, the gift of Sir 
John Stirling-Maxwell, Bart., in 1891. It is situated 
on boulder clay of great depth, and is planted with 
Limes, Poplars, Willows, and others which will thrive 
on this ungenial soil. 
Bellahouston Park is situated in the southern 
suburbs of the city, and was acquired in 1895. Much 
of the land is yet under agricultural crops, but will 
undergo a transformation presently, which will render 
this one of the finest and most picturesque parks in 
Glasgow. It has an area of 178 acres, being the 
largest piece of land cared lor by the Corporation in 
the interests of the people. The highest portion is 
140 ft. above sea level, and here the superintendent’s 
house is located. It was formerly the residence of 
the private gentleman who held the land. The latter 
cost the Corporation £50,000. The hill nearly in the 
centre is planted with trees which are conspicuous 
from a great distance owing to their elevated site. 
Great improvements are to be effected aod we have 
every confidence that Mr. James Whitton will leave 
the imprint of his hand upon the beautifully undu¬ 
lated grounds which lie around the wooded heights. 
PRESERVATION OF USEFUL BIRDS. 
The small birds, so useful to agriculture, are 
menaced with destruction with the object of prevent¬ 
ing so-called damages which they cause crops in the 
neighbourhood of towns. In any case, the work 
they do in destroying all kinds of injurious insects 
more than compensates for their pilfering, and we 
cannot plead their cause too eloquently. The 
President of the Society for the Protection of 
Animals has just written an interesting communica¬ 
tion on this subject to the head of the French police. 
Amongst other things he states that the starling, 
the value of which is disputed, is a useful bird. In 
many parts of Europe, particularly Germany, far 
from destroying it, nests are built by the people to 
assure reproduction. 
The society advocates by the mouth of its presi¬ 
dent that no birds should be scld in the markets ex¬ 
cept foreign species or home birds born and reared 
in cages. We must admit that, in spite of the clear 
instructions giveD, this principle is not always easily 
applied, and sellers and bird-catchers have been 
favoured by regrettable toleration. For years 
birds have been publicly sold; not merely adult 
native birds, crowded to suffocation in cages, but 
unfeathered young ones, some yet in the nest. 
In any case, if arrest of the sellers is useful, it is 
equally necessary to provide against the supplies by 
exercising increased vigilance at the Paris gates 
and railway stations. Thus poachers who catch 
millions of birds in close time with prohibited 
snares would be detected. The actual classification 
being vague and ill defined also makes application of 
the law difficult. It is desirable that birds should 
cease to be classed by order of size, eg., stating that 
it is unlawful to kill such a bird of the same size or 
less than a blackbird or quail. It will be better, 
once for all, to give a simple accurate list — (1) Of 
all noxious birds ; (2) Of game birds—and announce 
that all the others without exception are protected. 
—La vie Scientifique. 
PERSIAN CYCLAMEN. 
There was a fair attendance at the Westminster 
Drill Hall on Tuesday, 22nd ult., to hear Mr. W. 
Iggulden read a paper on the Persian Cyclamen Mr. 
James Douglas occupied the chair. The lecturer 
commenced by commenting upon the popularity of 
the Cyclamen. There are no other plants that can 
be raised and grown so cheaply that are more profit¬ 
able, for they may be had in bloom from October to 
March inclusive. In spile of this there is only a 
limited number of cultivators that can grow them 
well, and indeed there are far more failures than suc¬ 
cesses. Cyclamen cannot be grown in the hap¬ 
hazard fashion adopted with Primulas, and 
Cinerarias, but they must receive every care and 
attention. Private growers are placed at a dis¬ 
advantage as compared with trade growers, for the 
former have not as a rule the kind of houses at their 
disposal that best suit the requirements of the Cycla¬ 
men. II private growers cannot do the plants well, 
however, it will be better to leave them alone. 
With regard to seed sowing, the times vary con¬ 
siderably, said Mr. Iggulden. Many trade growers 
sow in August and September, others in October, 
November and January. February and March is too 
late for seed sowing, although I have raised good 
plants from seed sown in January. New seed is to 
be preferred to old. Thin sowing is very essential, 
as the necessity for pricking out may be thus obviated. 
The soil should consist of half loam, and half leaf 
soil, with sand, covering the seed to the depth of 
about a quarter of an inch. The seed pans should be 
placed in a temperature of from 6o° to 70° Fahr., 
shaded, and kept moist. Under such conditions 
germination will take place in from five to six weeks. 
The young seedlings should be kept growing on 
steadily, taking care to shield them carefully from 
draught 5 , and spray them with tepid water. The 
first shift will be into inch pots, and if the thin 
sowing recommended has been practised the little 
plants may be taken out of the seed pans with a nice 
ball of earth attached, in such a way that they will 
not receive any check. 
The winter temperature should range from 55 0 to 
65° Fahr., and as it must be remembered that the 
plants will not thrive in dry surroundings, the 
atmosphere surrounding them must be kept moist. 
At this stage a small aphis attacks the plants, and if 
not checked will soon do them a great deal of harm. 
Nicotine fumes are the present day remedy for these 
aphides, and are very effective iu clearing the plants 
of them. 
The next shift will be into 5-inch pots. The soil 
should consist of two parts loam, one part leaf soil, 
and one part dried cow manure, with sand. After pot¬ 
ting, stand the plants on ashes or moss and keep them 
damp. During the hottest part of the summer, con¬ 
tinued the essayist, I put my plants in shallow pits 
or frames sloping away from the sun, shade them 
carefully when necessary, and spray them regularly. 
In August the strongest plants may be given a 
further shift into 7-inch pots. The earliest flowers 
will need to be removed for a time. Clear soot water 
or other liquid manure may be applied occasionally 
with advantage. Tfie plants will flower well and 
freely in a temperature of 45 0 to 50° by night, with a 
proportionate rise by day. 
With regard to drying off, Mr. Iggulden went on 
to say, I am at variance with some authorities. I do 
not throw my plants away after the first season, but 
grow them on again after they have had a thorough 
resting. They are dried completely off and almost 
baked. Tne best lot of plants I ever bad had been 
laid on their sides on a shelf in a Melon house where 
they were really baked. I treat all the plants to this 
annual resting, and find them do all the better for it. 
Early in July they are taken down, repeatedly 
watered uDtil the balls are reduced to a state of 
moisture, and sprayed regularly with the syringe. 
The result is that the corms break into growth all 
over the upper surface. I have experimented in 
various ways with the plants to find out the best way 
to treat them, and amongst other things I planted 
them out in a bed of soil made up in a frame after 
they had done flowering and tried to keep them 
growing od, but success did not ensue. I have found 
good two-year-old plants better than good year-old 
ones. 
In addition to the aphides spoken of, eelworms 
often attack Cyclamens. Bearing this in mind it is 
well to keep the plants away from old Melon or 
Cucumber beds. The best way to deal with the 
eelworms is to dissolve two ounces of Phenile in 
three gallons of water, and apply it to the roots of the 
affected plants. 
In procuring any flowers or leaves they should 
always be “ drawn ” away from the corms, as if they 
are cut the bases are left and rot, spreading decay. 
In conclusion the lecturer pointed out the great im¬ 
provement that bad been made by the florists in 
Cyclamens, for the cultivated plants are superior to 
their ancestors in size of flower, and strength of con¬ 
stitution. The foliage too is exceedingly handsome. 
Of all the firms that have had a hand in the develop¬ 
ment of the flower, none has done more than that of 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, of Reading, and only 
recently they have given us cherry-red, and rose— 
two colours hitherto wanting in Cyclamen. 
At the close of the paper, Mr. R. Sydenham 
offered a few remarks. He advised his hearers to let 
their plants be exposed to the summer night dews, 
which strengthened the foliage immensely. He also 
spoke to the value of “ XL All ” as a fumigant. He 
had from time to time received complaints from 
various sources that the flowers of Cyclamen would 
not last when cut. He had found, however, a way to 
obviate this difficulty, for he slit down the base of the 
stem of each flower after it was cut, for the distance 
of about half an inch, and found that then they kept 
well for weeks together. Some flowers that he had 
thus treated had been sent to Switzerland where they 
arrived in a wonderfully fresh condition, and lasted 
for six weeks from the time at which they were cut. 
Mr. John Wright followed with advice to intending 
growers, or those that had met with failures in their 
attempts to grow Cyclamen, to keep their plants 
amidst more humid surroundings, otherwise they 
would not succeed. 
A vote of thanks to the lecturer terminated the 
proceedings. 
-» t » — 
ARDENING MlSCELLANY. 
GLORIOSA SUPERBA. 
Amongst the many interesting grand examples of 
cultivation in the houses at.Brougham Hall, Penrith, 
is the above, covering the whole of the roof of one of 
the stoves. It is carrying hundreds of its queer 
shaped, orange and scarlet flowers which are found 
invaluable for cutting purposes These plants have 
been in flower for months and will continue for some 
time yet. We ought to see this more frequently as it 
is most showy and useful; so Mr. A Taylor finds it. 
—A. 0 . 
CHRYSANTHEMUM MADAME MARIE 
MASSE. 
This early flowering variety has already had a First- 
class Certificate awarded it, and its merits have beeo 
still further recognised by the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s floral committee by a verdict of " highly 
commended” after trial at Chiswick. The variety 
is certainly the best of its colour among the early- 
floweriog Japanese section and might well be largely 
grown. The flowers are bright rosy pink, and the 
florets long and slightly twisting. Grown without 
