THE GARDENING WORLD 
5 ? 5 
April 22, 1899. 
Ben Lomond and all the surrounding hills received 
a new coatiDg of snow the other morning, and the 
air was bitterly cold. We had thunder to-day for a 
change, so there may possibly be something better 
in store. 
The backward weather showed its effects very 
pronouncedly on the Edinburgh Flower Show. We 
have seen all the spring shows since 1877, and with 
a few exceptions, we thought on the 5th inst. that it 
was barely an average one. The Market had a very 
empty appearance to what it generally has on such 
occasions, and competition evidently was anything 
but keen. 
It may be interesting to many of your readers to 
know that Mr. Moir, Earnock, has succeeded in 
getting seed from Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. He 
has sown some a few days ago and not a few are 
interested in the result. This Begonia grows in 
perfect luxuriance at Earnock, and last autumn a 
nice lot of seed was gathered from the plants, 
which in several cases showed pistilate inflorescences. 
— Gamma. 
« 1 »- 
DAFFODILS AT LONG DITTON. 
Daffodils are now in their glory everywhere, about 
a fortnight later than usual, but none the worse for 
that. The copious April showers have filled the 
stems and foliage with health and vigour ; and not¬ 
withstanding the relatively low temperature and 
occasional frosty mornings, the flowers do not seem 
to have suffered in the slightest, except perhaps in 
the case of old flowers that expanded some time 
ago. All this augurs an unusually long Daffodil 
season in the south at least, being assured by the 
abundant moisture and relatively low temperature. 
That the harvest of flowers is being scattered about 
is abundantly evident in every florist’s window, on 
every flower stall, and in the hands of passengers 
and wayfarers everywhere in town and rural districts. 
The industry is truly a gigantic one, and shows no 
sign of waning popularity. The beauty and decora¬ 
tive value of these spring flowers are indisputable. 
Last week found us, like a considerable number of 
others, on a pilgrimage to see the Daffodils of Messrs. 
Barr & Sons, at their nurseries, at Long Ditton, 
Surrey. The old love for variety in Daffodils still 
lives here, and one can expect to see everything that 
is representative of the genus in its multifarious 
forms, all the best of the old maintaining their 
positions alongside of the more recent sorts. Besides 
named varieties there are many seedlings to which 
names have not yet been given, some of them very 
fine indeed ; but it takes a fine thing to beat some of 
the aiistocrats now in commerce but scarce. Very 
handsome is a bicolor having white segments and a 
widely expanded trumpet. The limb of the trumpet 
in another spreads almost horizontally. A third 
one is characterised by white segments and a long, 
funnel-shaped, lemon trumpet something in the way 
of Mdme. Plemp, but finer. A large number are 
indeed upon trial to test their capabilities, and no 
doubt we shall hear of them again. 
One of the glories of the select collection near the 
offices is -Weardale Perfection, a gigantic Daffodil 
with white segments and a long golden trumpet. It 
is only ten guineas a bulb, but one is inclined to 
shake the head even at that. Mdme. de Graaff is 
still the queen of its section ; the lemon trumpet 
fades almost white as the flower becomes fully 
developed. Duke of Bedford is quite new and has 
already secured several certificates. The broad white 
segments set off the great golden trumpet which has 
a widely expanded trumpet, wavy at the mouth. 
Elsewhere we noticed vigorous plantations of that 
other grand modern Daffodil, Victoria, with white 
segments, a great golden trumpet, and broad, 
glaucous foliage, the very picture of health. It 
increases very rapidly so that we may very soon see 
it in every garden. 
Several double Daffodils belonging to the long 
trumpet or Ajax section are grown, and amongst 
them we noted the rare N.cernuus plenus with large, 
fully double, creamy white flowers. Queen Anoe’s 
Daffodil (N. eystettensis) is a dwarf growing form 
and botanically very interesting owing to the fact 
that the segments are opposite and arranged in six 
series, tier above tier. 
After all the single varieties are the finest and most 
interesting to grow in quality. Mrs. Walter Ware is 
a bicolor, having a well reflexed rim to the trumpet, 
and is. certainly pretty. Swan’s Neck or William 
Goldring belongs to the N. moschatus type, and is 
notable for its long segments, and the long curved 
stalk to the flower, thus justifying its popular name. 
W. P. Milner is a dwarf and graceful Daffodil about 
the size of Queen of Spain, but belonging to another 
race. N. moschatus Snowflake is wholly pure whitei 
making a chaste and graceful Daffodil. 
For those who can succeed in flowering it N. 
maximus is one of grandest of the golden Daffodils ; 
indeed, some go so far as to describe it as the best 
and most handsome of the Ajax or trumpet section. 
It is in grand form at Long Ditton, about a fortnight 
later than usual. Mr. W. Barr is of opinion that the 
cold weather is not wholly responsible for the lateness 
of the Daffodils, but that the drought of last autumn 
greatly retarded growth when it should have been 
moving as a result of root formation. The hint is 
not far fetched, but may contain facts worth noting 
for future reference. The huge, deeply cut 
trumpet of M. J. Berkley makes it a conspicuous and 
handsome Daffodil. P. R. Barr is a valuable late 
variety, only just commencing to bloom, and there¬ 
fore capable of prolonging the supply of flowers of 
first class merit, though now of second size alongside 
of Victoria, Duke of Bedford, &c. It goes without 
saying that a good supply of Emperor, Empress, 
Horsfieldi, and other standard types are maintained 
here. 
Quite of another type is the long drooping blooms 
of Hume’s Giant, a remarkable form, but not on all 
fours with the above. The old N. Macleaii is an 
interesting type with a short cylindrical tube. The 
whole plant is only 6 in. high at present and the 
foliage green. N. Nelsoni major is a great advance 
upon the same form of flower and is certainly choice, 
either in pots or planted out. 
The medio-coronati section is still represented by 
all that is best of the forms of N. incomparabilis. 
The dark vigorous foliage, and the rich orange cup of 
N.i.Gloria Mundi proclaim it to be one of the choicest. 
The wide orange crown of N. i. Queen Sophia recall 
the days of crinolines. The crown of Princess Mary 
is much in the same form, but it is longer, while 
equally inflated. N.i. Frank Miles has a golden crown 
or cup, and long clear yellow segments, having 
a fluttering, fly-away-appearance about them. The 
long, orange-scarlet cup of N. i. C. J. Backhouse 
make it the best of this colour. The broad glaucous 
leaves of N. i. Beauty are very noticeable, and the 
large flowers have a beautiful orange edge to the cup. 
The popular bedding variety N. i. Duchess of West¬ 
minster has an orange edge to the cup when it first 
expands, but this shades off to yellow, lemon, and 
lastly almost pure white, the changes taking place in 
this order. The king of all this section remains N. i. 
Sir Watkin, of which there is a large break flowering 
profusely and now in perfection. 
The Eucharis-flowered Daffodils are also at their 
best in the numerous forms of N. Leedsii. The 
variety Catherine Spurrel has large and massive 
flowers for its section, but they hang their heads like 
a blushing maiden in confusion. The pale lemon 
cup of N. Leedsii Gem ultimately shades off to white 
like the segments. N. L. Grand Duchess has a 
chalice of the palest lemon, and is a great favourite 
here. N. L. M. de Graaff has an orange-tipped cup 
when it first expands, and is a real beauty. 
The various forms of N. Barrii are characterised 
by having a cup that is shorter than either that of 
N. incomparabilis or N. Leedsii in their numerous 
varieties. They indeed come in between N. 
imcomparabilis and N. Burbidgei in that respect. 
N. Barrii conspicuus stands unrivalled in general 
utility and beauty in its particular section ; but a 
large break required another week to bring the 
flowers to perfection. Either as a pot plant or for 
bedding it is a most reliable and handsome sort. N. 
B. Orphee has a short cup, edged with orange, but 
even in this respect it is beaten by N. B. Sensation, 
the bright orange edge to the cup of which is 
charming but evanescent. It should be cut in bud 
and opened in water. A larger flower with a wider 
cup, deeply stained with orange at the rim, is that of 
N. B. Crown Prince. 
Then what shall we say of the beautiful forms of 
N. Burbidgei, those hybrids of which N. poeticus is 
the predominating partner of the two parents. 
The flowers are mostly white, with a short scarlet- 
rimmed cup, and those characters, together with 
their fragrance, recall N. poeticus, than which the 
cup is longer. Many of the best of them retain 
their place in the collection. The earliest of the 
Poet s Narcissus itself in the grounds at Long 
Ditton is N. poeticus praecox grandiflorus, which is 
two or three weeks earlier than N. p. ornatus, being 
at its best last week. 
The above are a few of the many beautiful and 
interesting Daffodils to be seen, and others keep 
opening week by week, so that this season will be a 
long one. Many a pilgrimage is being made to the 
grounds at present by people from distant parts of 
the country, as well as by those in proximity. 
tub Orcliid Grower’s Calendar. 
Cattleya Mendelii.— This, one of the finest of 
the genus, will soon be making a fine show. It 
follows on after the varieties of C. Trianaei, to which 
it bears a great resemblance, are over, and is thought 
by some to be a geographical form. 
Its culture is easy in the extreme, providing you 
have anything like a decent house in which to grow 
them. Pot culture seems to be the most suitable, 
and the compost should consist of the best peat and 
a small quantity of sphagnum moss. 
Our practice is with most Cattleyas to be rather 
sparing of moisture at the roots until the growths 
are nearly made up and new roots are formed from 
the base of the same, then we give them copious 
supplies until the flowers are fully expanded. Some 
there are of course that fail to make flowering 
growths and these we should at once repot, should 
the compost about them have become sour. In the 
case of newly potted plants care should be exercised 
in the watering for a time or the roots will go black 
at the points. Keep them moderately dry until the 
new roots are seen to be running through the com¬ 
post ; the plants may shrivel a little but will soon 
plump up again. 
Cattleya Gigas.— This is an Orchid that suffers 
from over watering, especially in the early stages of 
its growth. Our plants are breaking away finely. 
The smaller plants are in pans, suspended near the 
roof, exposed to as much light and air as it is possible 
to let them have without damage to the other occu¬ 
pants of the house. The plants are kept dry all 
through the winter months, and not until we can 
feel the flowers coming up in the growth will they 
get anything like a good soaking. By following this 
mode of treatment we have managed to keep plants 
in good condition for years and to flower them 
regularly each season. We never think of disturbing 
this Cattleya at the roots until after the flowering 
season, which is July and the beginning of August. 
Cool Houses —Importations of Odontoglossum 
crispum and O. Rossii majus are making their 
appearance, and to keep a collection up to its 
average strength, that is, if you turn out all 
moderately good varieties, you must buy in fresh 
ones. There is no more fascinating work than 
watching new Odontoglossums coming in flower for 
the first time. You watch every bud develop, and 
strain your eye to note any indication of a spot, con¬ 
juring up hopes of a hundred-guinea find. But I am 
digressing; my mission is to point out how best to 
get them to start into growth and flower quickly. 
We have just over a thousand new ones. They 
have been looked over, carefully cutting away all 
the rotten pseudo-bulbs, &c ; but at present we 
have not attempted to give them any more moisture 
than what they can pick up from the damping down 
of the walls and paths. Next week, however, the 
potting-up will commence, using as small pots as is 
consistent with the size of the plants. Peat and 
moss in equal parts is what they like. This, how¬ 
ever, we do not mix together beforehand, but work 
the moss in between the peat as the work proceeds. 
Should the moss be wet when it comes in, which is 
generally the case, we dry it by laying it down for a 
night on the floor of one of the houses. We have 
found that to use moss in a wet state is a great mis¬ 
take ; have both peat and moss in a state of elas¬ 
ticity, so much aimed at by good growers in all 
composts. 
After the potting is done nothing will be required 
as regards moisture at the roots other than a gentle 
spraying overhead with the syringe fcr some time, 
as having no roots it would serve no good pur¬ 
pose by keeping them wet. On the contrary the 
compost would become sour before any roots were 
sent out to take hold of it. — S. C. 
