694 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 2, 1898. 
A FINE FRILLED HARTSTONUUE. 
The varieties of the common Hartstocgue (Scolc- 
pendrium vulgare) number many hundreds, in fact 
their name is legion. Their nomenclature,, too, is 
considerable ; so much so that none but the pupils 
in the highest school board standards would be able 
to wrestle with some of their names, or propound 
their orthoepy. Our purpose here, however, is not 
with the common forms, but with the frilled, ruche¬ 
like, or crispum section ; and whether or not their 
names offend is immaterial—the beauty of the plants 
is beyond question. In this section alone—perhaps 
the most highly developed—Mr. E. J. Lowe describes, 
in his scholarly little work on "British Ferns," no 
less than fifty-eight varieties. Unfortunately, nearly 
all of these are sterile, that is, they do not produce 
spores, hence their propagation is slow and their 
acquisition, in consequence, somewhat prohibitive. 
Still, they are very fine decorative plants, and an 
absolute necessity in a collection of our native 
Ferns. 
The particular variety which has called forth these 
remarks is known as Scolopendrium vulgare crispum 
(Stewartson), and is in the possession of Mr. A. 
Wright, Falkland Park Gardens, South Norwood 
Hill, S.E., Mr. Wright being a lover of British 
Ferns, as well as every other vegetable product in 
the horticultural line. 
The Fern iu question occupies a 6-in. pot, 
possesses twelve evenly-balanced fronds, arranged 
in shuttlecock fashion, which measure from 3j-ins. 
to 4-ins. in diameter, the average length of the 
fronds being about 14-ins. As the stipes are very 
short the whole plant presents a very foliaceous and 
beautifully frilled appearance. As the normal width 
of a Hartstongue is about 2j-ins. only, the massive¬ 
ness of this one will be apparent. 
The plant is perfectly barren, this barrenness 
being probably due to hypertrophy, or over- 
nourishment of the leafy parts, the plant thus 
having, so to speak, no energy left for the production 
of spores.— C. B. G., Acton, W. 
-- 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr. Albert F. Upstone. 
Mr. Albert F. Upstone, F.R.H.S., whose photo¬ 
graph we have much pleasure in reproducing this 
week, and who is will known in horticultural circles, 
is now in business on his own account in Rotherham, 
near Sheffield. He commenced his career in the 
seed trade with Mr. George Prince, in the university 
city of Oxford, having previously been educated at 
St. John's College School, where he was a solo 
chorister for many years, and, indeed, at one time, 
Mr. Upstone had serious thoughts of taking up 
music in the vocal department as a profession, as he 
has been for many years well known as a very able 
exponent of the art. 
After leaving Mr. Prince, where he received a 
very fair ground-work, in order to fit him for his 
future career, he was successively assistant with 
Messrs. Thos Perkins & Sons, Northampton, the 
late Mr. Dmald Cuthbert, of Liverpool, Messrs. J. 
R Pearson & Sons, Nottingham, five years traveller 
for Messrs. John Peed & Sons, Norwood, where he 
proved very successful on the road and gained many 
friends, who stick to him even now, though severed 
by many miles away in South Yorkshire. Leaving 
the Messrs. Peed, who regretted his departure, he 
took up the position of local manager at Norwich to 
Messrs. Daniels Bros., and during the five years he 
remained here he led an exceedingly busy life. He 
formed and carried through as managerial secretary 
what became well known in the Eastern Counties as 
“ Daniels Brothers' Dramatic Corps,” and cleared 
in successive years some substantial amounts for 
different charities, which latter included the Bene¬ 
volent Fund of the East Anglian Horticultural Club, 
of which he was also hon. secretary during the 
whole time he was in Norwich. Leaving here 
to take up the management of the seed department 
for the Messrs. Veitch, at Chelsea, he was presented 
at Norwich with a handsome clock and a purse of 
money, the outcome of general appreciation, as a 
conscientious worker who has always faithfully, 
honestly, and with considerable ability fulfilled his 
duties to employers, and studied the welfare of the 
gardener. 
He soon afterwards resigned his position with 
Messrs. Veitch, being on the look-out for a place to 
settle down, and commence business on his own 
account, for which he had for many years had a 
craving. After a time he chose Rotherham as his 
destination. We are pleased to hear that success is 
attending him so far, whilst we do not think for a single 
moment that Mr. Upstone is one of those gentlemen 
who is at all likely to give way under any ordinary 
circumstances. He is now thirty-eight years of age, 
and has become, already, a very well-known gentle¬ 
man in South Yorkshire.—“ Omnia bona bonis." 
Mr. Albert F. Upstone. 
ALPINE AND ROCK PLANTS. 
Eranthis cilicica.— With us this is an early spring 
flowering subject like its congener E. hyemalis, so 
well known under the name of Winter Aconite. In 
its native home, in the Alpine region of the Cilician 
Taurus, ;t blooms in the month of May, while the 
upper part of the mountain is still clad with its 
mantle of snow. At that time bulbous plants begin 
to bloom in great abundance, including Tulips, 
Crocuses and Fritillaries, which make the grass look 
bright and cheerful. Eranthis cilicica in millions 
covers the sward, as it were, with a yellow carpet. 
The flowers have more numerous petals than in the 
case of E. hyemalis, and when this native of the 
Taurus becomes more common it will make a wel¬ 
come addition to our early spring flowering rock 
plants, whose requirements are really very few and 
easily satisfied. 
Campanula G. F. Wilson.— The general aspect 
of this plant indicates that it is a hybrid, apparently 
between C. pulla and C. turbinata or one of that 
group. The plant is compact and squat in habit; 
but instead of bearing a single drooping flower, it 
often produces a number on stems which have 
acquired a vigorous growth The blooms are much 
larger than those of C. pulla, and nodding, with the 
rich blue-purple colour of the latter. In the course 
of a few years the plant spreads over the ground, 
forming a large patch, provided it is not planted in a 
roasting, dry spot. For this reason there is no diffi¬ 
culty in propagating it; and pieces may be taken off 
with a trowel during moist weather in early autumn, 
so that it may get established in the fresh soil before 
winter. 
Acantholimon acerosum. — The near relations of 
this plant, the Statices, are natives of the mud flats 
of the sea shore, and in some instances of the dry 
chalk, where the wonder is how they can subsist. All 
the species of Acantholimon I have seen are truly 
rock plants, and well adapted for planting in exposed 
positions, though they must not be planted skin-deep, 
so to speak, amongst stony rubbish, where they can¬ 
not find moisture. The roots must have plenty of 
room to extend downwards into good soil. The 
large pink flowers are not very numerous, but are 
very pretty nestling on the top of the carpet of 
spiny-pointed leaves. The latter are glaucous as in 
the case of A. venustum, but much narrower. 
Veronica Teucrium rupestris. —The profusion 
of rich blue flowers produced by this dwarf Speed¬ 
well entitles it to a prominent position in every 
garden. Although it is first-class for bold and pro¬ 
jecting parts of the rockery, it is equally serviceable in 
the flower garden where those concerned with its 
management are not all gone upon the usual run of 
bedding plants. It makes a grand edging to perma¬ 
nent beds of herbaceous plants and dwarf subjects 
generally. The flower stalks only rise 4 in. or 5 in. 
above the ground. 
Dianthus caesius.— There is nothing more 
charming amongst Pinks than the Cheddar Pink 
during June and part of July. The flowers, about 
the size of a shilling, vary from light to dark rose- 
pink, but are always so fresh and pleasing that no 
rockery should be without a good clump The gray 
foliage also looks happy, and forms a cheerful setting 
for the flowers. The latter vary considerably in size 
and colour, making it doubtful whether, after all, 
one has got the Cheddar Pink. Such plants, I 
believe, are sometimes obtained from Continental 
seed, and are very convenient for those who have a 
new name to give away. The plant is, however, 
capable of variation, and some enterprising hybri¬ 
dist should develop a new race of Pinks. 
Aster alpinus.— A perennial Aster that flowers 
in June and July cannot be regarded as a Michael¬ 
mas Daisy. It is a neat growing Starwort, 3 in. to 
6 in. high, and carrying blue-purple flowers about 
the size of a florin. The plant is of the easiest cul¬ 
ture, and may be propagated freely enough by divi¬ 
sion in early autumn. 
Achillea umbellata.— Of the dwarf species of 
Achillea this will always merit a place amongst 
Alpine plants for its neat habit, forming as it does a 
patch of gray, closely hugging the soil and stones of 
the rockery. The umbels of white flowers rise a few 
inches above the gray, deeply-cut leaves, having 
narrow-spreading segments. Cuttings of the flower¬ 
less shoots root very readily in pots of sandy soil in 
a frame. The plant comes from Greece. 
Tanacetum argenteum. — At first sight, this 
closely resembles Achillea umbellata; but even if 
the resemblance is only superficial, it is remarkably 
close. Outwardly, the flower might be regarded as 
identical, and the leaves only differ in being narrower, 
with more numerous, spreading but overlapping, 
lobes of a silvery-gray as indicated by the name. It 
comes from Asia Minor, and is worthy of a place 
amongst a select collection. Cuttings soon furnish 
all the plants wanted. 
Achillea mongolica. —This may be regarded as 
a Sneeze-wort in miniature, the stems and leaves 
being like our native A. Ptarmica, except in being 
smaller in every way. The white flowers are much 
larger and purer white, so that the plant well merits 
all due consideration. Its appearance is of no mean 
order. 
Silene QUADRiFiDA. —The petals of this hardy 
European Catchfly have four short and rounded 
teeth at the apex, thus suggesting the name 
employed by the botanists. The plant forms a neat 
tuft of upright habit, surmounted by the snow-white 
flowers. The general aspect of the whole plant 
reminds one of S. alpestris, but the slender, linear 
leaves are very different. It is a gem of the first 
water for the rockery, and of easy cultivation. 
Planters might give ease of culture a primary con¬ 
sideration, because a well-furnished rockery is 
always more interesting than one which is occupied 
with rare and slow-growing or half hardy sorts that 
never make a real show.—/. Effe. 
TUb Orcdid Brower’s Calendar. 
Cool House Orchids. —As promised in the last 
calendar, I will just run through a few of the best 
kinds for cool house culture. 
The first on the list is undoubtedly Odontoglossum 
crispum, on account of its variableness, lasting 
qualities and beauty. Besides it is out of O. crispum 
of all cool house Orchids that you get the plums. As 
I touched on the culture of this particular kind in the 
preceding calendar I shall pass on to 
Coelogyne cristata, which is one of the finest 
Orchids grown for early spring flowering. We find 
they do wonderfully well when grown cool. We use 
pans about eight inches in diameter; into these you 
