366 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 5, 1898. 
Before leaving the singles we must not forget to 
mention that curiosity, Bouquet, in which the calyx 
of the flower has become foliaceous. The white 
flowers are frequently borne singly on the scapes 
after the fashion of the common Primrose, but 
usually in umbels in the normal manner. The 
foliage is of great substance and quite distinct in 
appearance. Venus is another novelty in which the 
flowers are prettilly mottled and flaked with rose on 
a white ground. 
The doubles constitute a very valuable and 
charming section. Blue Rosette is the double counter¬ 
part ofHolborn Blue. Prince of Wales (for which see 
illustration), exhibits a delicate shade of rose-pink. 
The flowers are of good size, and produced with 
exceptional freedom. Princess of Wales is white, 
prettily mottled and flaked with rose, after the style 
of Venus. Aurora is a rich salmon-pink, whilst 
Snowflake, in accordance with its name is pure 
white, Vivid, too, is well named, for the blooms 
are vivid carmine-scarlet, and the plants, whether 
viewed severally or collectively, very showy. Lilac 
Queen, which has deep lilac flowers, completes a 
list of varieties that should be in every up-to-date 
collection. At Forest Hill, under the skilled culti¬ 
vation given, they acquit themselves marvellously 
well. 
We are indebted to the Messrs. Carter for this 
opportunity of figuring the two varieties, Princess 
May, and Prince of Wales. 
- 
PHENOMENAL WEATHER. 
Since the short spell of frost and fog at Christmas 
we, in West Middlesex, have experienced nothing but 
the most phenomenal weather ; in fact, the tempera¬ 
ture has been more indicative of April than January. 
Night after night the thermometer has not gone 
down below qo° to 45 0 , rising about io° during the 
day. 
This abnormal state of things is, unfortunately, 
having its effect in the garden, where herbaceous 
and other plants are being unduly stimulated. 
Phloxes, for instance, are quite an inch above the 
ground, while Roses are covered with shoots of an 
equal length. Dicentra spectabilis is showing its 
rich young growths too far above the soil, and 
Sedum spectabile is a mass of glaucous leaves. 
Narcissus, Tulips, etc., also exhibit too much pre¬ 
cocity ; while a tour " round the houses ” this after¬ 
noon (January 23rd) discovered Snowdrops, Winter 
Aconite, and even Crocuses in a very advanced 
stage. Jasminum nudiflorum, of course, was on the 
wallsin full beauty ; Crataegus Pyracantha was stillin 
fresh fruit ; Daphne Mezereum showed much colour ; 
and many other shrubs and sub-shrubs told the same 
tale; for although plants generally appear to exhibit 
some sensitiveness, they seem to be totally unable to 
distinguish between the true season and the false.— 
C. B. G., Acton, IV. 
PRUNING AND DRESSING VINES. 
The importance of taking these operations in hand 
in good time cannot be over-estimated ; the well-being 
of the Vines is largely influenced thereby. Should 
the pruning be delayed till after the sap commences 
to rise bleeding sets in, and in spite of any and 
every means taken to prevent it, the prospective 
crop is more or less jeopardised ; for the long con¬ 
tinued loss of sap weakens and hinders the growth of 
the young shcots to such an extent that they are 
some time before they gain strength sufficient to 
make healthy progress. However satisfactory this 
may appear they cannot make good the damage 
already done. Vines are so generally grown on the 
spur system that any remarks upon the pruning of 
them are usually taken, as in this instance, to refer 
to canes or rods managed in that way. In pruning 
them one eye only should be left on a spur ; for if 
more are retained they, after a few seasons, get a 
long way from the parent stem, and assume a 
gnarled and knotted form, through which the sap 
cannot flow to the bunches of fruit with that degree 
of freedom it should do. 
Where Vines have, through mismanagement, got 
into this condition, young rods should be taken up 
to replace the gnarled and knotty ones, which, as the 
younger ones come into bearing, may be cut out. 
Under the term dressing, as respects the winter 
management of Vines, I include the removal of any 
really loose bark, and in this connection must utter 
a word of protest against that barbarous plan of 
skinning them to the wood, which is far too pre¬ 
valent, thus depriving them of their natural protec¬ 
tion. A glance at a vinery will soon convince a 
practised eye whether the Vines have been treated 
in this unnatural fashion, or the more rational one ; 
for rods thus yearly deprived of much of their 
natural coating do not swell out as they should do. 
The plea urged in defence of the practice is that it 
is necessary for the destruction of insect pests. In 
answer to this it may be asked, what pests ? If 
mealy bug, all I have to say is that anyone having 
it among their Vines to such an extent as to be 
driven to the extreme measure indicated, is either 
much to be pitied or highly blamed, it being the 
only insect which can be successfully banished from 
our plant houses. What germs of red spider or 
thrip may be in hiding among the loose bark may 
be easily dealt with by well-painting the rods with 
Gishurst Compound, as directed by the makers. I 
have made different washes with tobacco, sulphur, 
lime, clay, soot, &c. The Gishurst Compound, an 
old remedy, is quite as effectual and far more 
cleanly than either.— W. B. G. 
-- 
Hardening |[iscellahy. 
GALANTHUS IKARIAE. 
This seems to be more or less intermediate in 
character between G. Elwesii and G. latifolius, but 
has been described by Mr. J. G. Baker, of Kew, as a 
new species from Nikaria. The strap-shaped leaves 
are bright green, resembling those of the latter, but 
differing in being slightly hooded at the apex, and 
otherwise being almost quite flat without the channel 
down the centre. The outer segments are oblong- 
spathulate and narrowed to a broad base that almost 
completely covers the inner segments. The latter 
resemble those of G. Elwesii in being erect, crisped 
at theapex and finely ridged and furrowed longitudin¬ 
ally ; but they differ in having only one large green 
blotch round the sinus, outside and inside. G. 
Elwesii has the inner segments green throughout the 
inner face except at the margins, with a large green 
blotch at the base externally, and a small one round 
the sinus. Its outer segments are also narrowed to a 
claw. Altogether, Galanthus Ikariae is a beautiful 
Snowdrop at a casual glance recalling G. latifolius 
on account of its bright green leaves and large 
flowers. The species is now flowering on the 
rockery at Kew. 
AN EFFECTIVE COMBINATION. 
Colour contrasts are always more or less effective, 
but, as a rule, there is not much colour out-of-doors 
in our climate in mid-winter. As, however, this 
climate of ours—like some other things I could 
mention—is not always strictly congruous, so it 
happens sometimes that the garden is gay before the 
normal time. At least I thought so on the 30th 
January last when I took a stroll through our great 
botanical establishment at Kew. But, in addition to 
the unusual amount of colour for the season there 
present, I was struck with a very simple but very 
effective group of the Red O^ier Dogwood (Cornus 
alba var. siberica) set in a carpet of gold—the Win¬ 
ter Aconite (Eranthis byemalis). The beautiful 
yellow cup-shaped blossoms, sessile on their deeply- 
divided leaves, presented such a regular and even 
carpet of colour that the bright red or red-purple 
stems of the Dogwood appeared to be reflected as in 
a mirror. Whether this reflection be fancy or fact 
matters not much ; the combination of colour was 
there ; the effectiveness was also present; while the 
simplicity of the arrangement recommends itself to 
all gardens.— C. B. G., Acton, W. 
•CARNATION JACK FROST. 
This is a huge white Carnation which is credited in 
the United States with being the largest white Car¬ 
nation in existence. Reports are to hand of flowers 
4 in. in diameter, that is as large as a fine Mal- 
maison. The petals are fringed. It is said to be an 
exceptionally strong grower, and to be immune from 
attacks of rust. If it does as well this side of the 
water it will receive a warm welcome, and will be 
largely grown. 
OBITUARY. 
Mr. Frederick E. Willey. 
It is with sincere sorrow and regret that we hear of 
the untimely death of our old friend and comrade 
Mr. F. E. Willey, who has succumbed to the un¬ 
healthy climate of Sierra Leone, Western Tropical 
Africa, after a residence there of only two years, 
during which he held the post of Curator of the 
Botanic Gardens. Mr. Willey entered as a young 
gardener at Kew in 1892, and after a year’s service 
was chosen as relief man for the Botanic Station at 
Aburi, Gold Coast, during the absence on holiday of 
Mr. W. Crowther, also since deceased. Upon his 
return he remained awhile at Kew, but was 
appointed in October, 1895, t0 take charge of the 
new station at Sierra Leone. Those who knew 
Willey, and the grit and determination that lay 
beneath his genial and prepossessing manners, need 
not be told that he did his duty well and reaped no 
small measure of success upon this fever-swept out¬ 
post of the empire. In his capable hands the 
economic resources of the colony were being 
developed apace, and his friends were all hoping 
that a long and prosperous career lay before him. 
But it was not to be, for the great reaper Death had 
marked him for his own, and on the 22nd ult. 
removed him to that place where " the wicked cease 
from troubling and the weary are at rest.” 
Requuscat in Pace. Kew mourns a worthy son, and 
not a few of us a friend. 
Mr. Thomas Sheasby. 
We regret to announce the death of Mr. Thomas 
Sheasby, gardener to Lord Dunleath, Ballywalter 
Park, Newtownards, Co. Down, on the 21st ult. 
—- •*- -« 
Questions add adsojgrs 
*,* Will our friends who send us newspapers be so good 
as to mark the paragraphs or articles they wish us to see. 
We shall be greatly obliged bv their so doing. 
[ Correspondents, please note that we cannot undertake to 
name florists' flowers such as Carnations, Pelargoniums, 
Chrysanthemums, Roses, nor such as are mere garden 
varieties, differing only in the colour of the flower. 
Florists' flowers, as a ride, can only be named by those who 
grow collections of them .] 
Grub in Box. — Enquirer : The box you sent contain¬ 
ing an insect came to hand last week after we had 
gone to press, and must have been delayed, as the 
letter posted on the same date arrived three days 
earlier. The specimen was alive and well. It is the 
pupa or chrysallis stage of the Cabbage Butterfly 
(Pieris Brassicae). The caterpillars after being full 
fed last autumn must have crawled into your vinery 
and lain up there. It is the resting or rather the 
hibernating form of the insect, and would have 
hatched out in April. 
Strawberries and Soot. — F. G. Brewer: We have 
very little doubt that the conclusion you have come 
to is the right one. In all probability more than 
sufficient soot was used, mixed with the soil, so that 
an additional supply over the crocks in the pots has 
injured the young roots as soon as they pushed 
through the soil. We have witnessed an entire 
absence of Carrots, and even weeds on a piece of 
ground that was overdressed with soot to destroy the 
Carrot grub. The only thing you can do is to turn 
the ball of soil out of the pots, and take off as much of 
the soot as you can without disturbing the roots more 
than you can help. Crock the pots with clean pot 
sherds after wiping out the pot itself. Repot firmly 
and give the plants a further trial. Use only those 
that have not yet started into growth. If you have 
any good Strawberry runners in the open ground 
you might pot up a batch or two of them with 
the view of getting a few dishes of fruit this year by 
forcing. This has been successfully done, so that 
you might very well try it. The lack of sunshine for 
months past has been very detrimental to the forcing 
of Strawberries and other fruits. 
Natural breaks of Chrysanthemum. — Cupidus 
Scientiae : You stop your plants twice with the object 
of getting a sufficient number of shoots to produce 
the desired number of flowers. This we speak of as 
the bush form, and we do not know any other way 
of obtaining the requisite number of shoots. You 
desire to take some on the first and some on the 
second crown bud. That is evidently what you 
have been doing when you speak of being careful to 
remove all side growths after taking the buds at the 
proper time. Some varieties produce several crowD 
buds in succession, and these buds may be known by 
their being surrounded by leafy buds which grow 
into shoots. Terminal buds are surrounded by 
flower buds, but not leafy ones. This is the only 
distinction, no matter at what time the buds ate 
taken. If you take the first bud that makes its 
appearance, it must be the crown bud. If you 
remove this for any particular reason, and take the 
□ext that comes on the natural break, it must be the 
