May 20, 1899. 
THK GARDENING WORLD. 699 
cations with specimens of Polyporus ulmarius, 
showing how it appears to decay the interior of the 
tree and fructifies in the hollow, were sent by Dr. 
Plowright; also descriptions of parasitic fungi on 
Alders and Willows'. They will appear in the 
Gardeners' Chronicle. A vote of thanks was given to 
Dr. Plowright for his communication. 
Species in Naked Bits of Protoplasm.—Sir 
Edward Fry and Miss Agnes Fry, continuing their 
wonderful story of the myxies, in the current number 
of Knowledge, bring forward some striking facts which 
throw a gleam of light on the possible origin of 
species in the very foundations or elements of life— 
naked protoplasm. “ Whether it (species) has 
arisen from variation and selection or not, it is a fact 
that goes down to the very foundations and 
rudiments of organic life, and from these in¬ 
fluences the life, and habits of the organism. 
As we see it in the myxies, it precedes the 
origination of the sexual distinction, it precedes 
any differentiation of parts or organs, it precedes 
the development of the cellular tissue. It may, 
perhaps, be said to precede the division into the 
animal and vegetable kingdoms. The distinction 
can exist in small naked bits of protoplasm, and 
each of these, indistinguishable in structure as the 
protoplasts of some of the species are to any organs 
or instruments which we possess, has the power of 
distinguishing between these indistinguishable 
masses, of attracting and being attracted by those 
of its own kind, and of remaining indifferent and 
negative towards those of other kinds. That the 
pollen of an Oak or a Daisy should not act on the 
other species seems to us natural; that the naked 
protoplasm of these minute organisms should be 
endowed with this selective capacity does seem very 
remarkable, and may well make one pause and 
think." 
—— . |. - 
popular favourites. If there should have been a 
dissenter of Disraelism at the meeting, we should 
think he shall no more point a finger of ridicule to 
the loyal band who endeavour to perpetuate the 
claim that the lovely and chaste Primrose had on 
the feelings of a great statesman. He shall at any 
rate better understand how much a flower has to do 
with our lives ; yet we knew those to whom a certain 
flower was a source of misery, but still they had their 
favourite one. 
The Weather. 
For the last fortnight our weather was at least dry. 
We have great reason for beiDg thankful for this, 
even though we find from 8° to io° of frost every 
morning. The fruit blossom has not as yet suffered 
any appreciable injury, and we hope now that the 
worst is past, because the foliage is coming out fast 
and helps to cover the blossom. We think, after 
giving a careful trial to the covering of fruit trees 
when in blossom to ward off frost, that the plan is of 
very little use. This year we did not cover, and 
though there has been more frost than for many 
years the Plums and Pears have not suffered a bit. 
It strikes me very forcibly that if a tree in blossom 
gets two or three days’ time to ripen the pollen, free 
from very hard frost, the fruit is afterwards assured. 
There is an abundance of blossom in this district at 
present.— Gamma. 
PEACH HOUSE. 
I am indebted to Rex for his reply on p. 445, but ill¬ 
ness has prevented me acknowledging it sooner. I 
now give him a few more details regarding our Peach 
house. The eaves are 1 ft. from the ground level, 
made up of three courses of brick and the wall 
plate. The roof springs from the wall plate, so that 
there are no front sashes. A flow and return hot 
water pipe, 4 in. diameter, is placed 3 ft. from the 
front wall, and the trees are planted midway 
between. It is a back-breaking job, working at the 
front of the trees, as the trellis is so low down. Rex 
suggests giving up growing Peaches altogether. 
What would he advise to grow instead ? Mean¬ 
while, I have a half-promise from my employer that 
he will shift its position, as he seems convinced that 
what I told him (when I took charge here) is right, 
viz." That he would never have a crop of Peaches 
in the house.”—" L. Allegro." 
SAXIFRAGES. 
Saxifrages are amongst some of the most interest¬ 
ing and fascinating of plants ; and deserve to be more 
extensively grown than they are at present. 
Unlike out-door plants in general, they are interesting 
at all times of the year, and this is especially so 
during the autumn and winter months, when out¬ 
door plants in general present an appearance, not 
very attractive either to the cultivator or to the casual 
observer. 
With the Saxifrages, however, the case is different, 
for they are unique as a class of plants with foliage 
of perpetual beauty. At no season of the year do 
they look better than when soaked with winter wet. 
This is especially the case regarding the plants 
belonging to what is known as the " encrusted ” 
section, which have their leaves covered with a 
deposit of calcium-carbonate, giving them a frosted 
or silvery appearance. This deposit of calcium is 
caused by an exudation from a special gland, termed 
the "chalk gland,” through an aperture called the 
water-stoma, which may be found at the base of 
depressions, round the margins of the leaves. In 
some species this deposit covers the whole surface 
of the leaf, as in S. cochlearis, S. valdensis, &c., in 
which the leaves are small and densely packed 
forming plants which can scarcely be distinguished 
from the rocks on which they grow; while in others 
it forms a fringe of white dots round the margins of 
the leaves, as in S. pyramidalis, S. Cotyledon, &c. 
The dwarf habit of these plants admirably adapts 
them to life on the Alps, where they are often 
covered with snow, while the rosette arrangement of 
the leaves, allows each leaf to get its full share of 
sunlight, and consequently to carry on the work of 
assimilation. The dwarf habit is undoubtedly 
due to the short period during which growth takes 
place. 
The most recent physiological discoveries show 
that growth takes place most rapidly during the 
night. By day they grow less the more they are 
exposed to the light of the sun. Plants growing on 
the Alps cannot grow during the night, because of 
the severe frosts that then occur, consequently it is 
only during the day, when the sun has considerably 
warmed the soil, that they are able to grow, and this 
probably accounts for the shortness of the inter¬ 
nodes. During this short time also the plant has to 
produce flowers, and to ripen seeds, and finally to 
form the flower in embryo, that is to bloom the 
following season. The utmost energies of the plant 
are, therefore, exerted to make what little growth is 
possible, and also to propagate its kind while the 
season lasts. 
The flowers of S. luteo purpurea are protogynous 
i. e .; the stigmas are ripe, before the anthers in the 
same flower shed their pollen. Not only are the 
stigmas ripe but they project out of the flower while 
it is still in bud, the petals remaining closed, and 
covering the anthers. Such plants as these should 
commend themselves to intending hybridists, as it 
is evident they abhor self-fertilisation, and it is from 
these that a cross is likely to be obtained. 
Another valuable section is the " mossy species” 
which form beautiful carpets of vivid green, moss¬ 
like plants, and are lovely when covered with white 
or scarlet flowers. Other kinds belonging to the 
" oppositifolia ” or the •* rotundifolia ” sections are 
also interesting and should be largely grown. The 
varieties in each section are numerous and it is 
impossible to give a list that would suit every one, 
but if a few varieties from each section were grown 
and studied, the cultivator would be amply rewarded 
by the interest they created. 
The cultivation of most of them is easy, providing 
conditions, approaching as near as possible their 
natural surroundings be maintained. 
They are easily raised from seed, which should be 
sown in late autumn or early spring, in good light 
soil, in well drained pots, watered, and stood in a 
cool pit, and should not be allowed to become 
dry. 
They may also be propagated by division of the tufts, 
which should be done in September or in the spring. 
Some, however, will not stand this division, such as 
S. oppositifolia, S. caesia, S. squarrosa, &c. and must 
therefore be raised from seed. When potting up, 
some pieces of sandstone, broken up about the size 
of walnuts should be placed round the plants, as these 
help to conserve the moisture, which is so necessary 
to their well-being. 
When planting on the rockery care should be take 
to give them a deep root-run ; between the crevices 
of the stones is best, as this also affords good drain 
age, which is also essential to their successfu 
cultivation. Watering during hot weather is essentia 
It is not so much the water at the root that they require 
as it is the moist atmosphere which they get in thei 
native habitat. The only substitute we can supply is 
watering overhead with a rose, and plenty of stones 
which will hold the moisture, and yield it up as 
vapour when the weather is warm .—Herman Spooner. 
A SHOWY BED. 
It is not very generally known that the Clematis of 
the Jackmanni type are well adapted for bedding. 
In America some of the large parks and cemeteries 
make a fine show by using these grand plants for 
permanent, showy beds. The beds are either 
planted with Clematis alone, one variety being used 
for each bed, or they are used in conjunction with 
other decorative material. One specimen of this 
style took the writer’s attention last season in New 
York. The bed, which was of rather large dimen¬ 
sions, was planted with Clematis Jackmanni, the 
plants being allowed to scramble over some old tree 
stumps. Scattered irregularly over the bed were 
some taller, rough branches of some gnarled tree, on 
which was growing Ampelopsis Veitchii, while to 
the outskirts of the bed was planted Lonicera 
flexuosa (brachypoda) aurea reticulata, the Japanese 
golden-veined Honeysuckle. Seen towards the end 
of the season the effect produced by the combina¬ 
tion of these three tolerably cheap plants was un¬ 
doubtedly fine. No very special preparation is 
required, for given a well-worked soil containing 
some lime the bed will last in good condition for a 
length of time. Many other plants might be 
utilised for work of this description, and it has only 
to be tried in this country when it is almost sure to 
meet with favour.— U. C, C. 
NOTES FROM HAMILTON. 
The Hamilton and District Horticultural and 
Forestry Association held their monthly meeting on 
the evening of the 5th, when there was a crowded 
attendance. Mr. Campbell, nurseryman, presided, 
and there were several new members proposed,which 
brings the membership now up to about a hundred. 
It was proposed for the encouragement of young 
members to give prizes for essays on subjects con¬ 
nected with gardening. The President,Rev. T. M. B. 
Paterson, Ardenclutha, who has newly returned from 
the south of France.gave a graphic description of the 
genial climate and advanced vegetation of the sunny 
South, from which it would appear that the Floren- 
tians enjoy a winter superior to our best Lanarkshire 
summer. A battle of flowers incidentally witnessed 
by the president there gave the Association much 
interest on being recounted. 
■ The subject for the evening was a lecture on 
"Spring Flowers and Spring Gardening” by Mr. 
James Grahame, Coltness Gardens, Wishaw. Mr. 
Grahame gave an admirable discourse upon the very 
fitting subject which he selected for the occasion. 
He dealt with the matter in a manner which could 
not fail to appeal to the tastes of everyone present, 
and surrounded the technical side of the subject with 
much of that soul-inspiring feeling which always 
makes the most ordinary things unusually entertain¬ 
ing and interesting. It is not the lot of many to be 
so fortunate in this respect as the lecturer in mingling 
knowledge with the highest sentiments of the human 
heart. True, spring itself has an undescribable 
charm to all; but many of us, though experiencing 
this, are unable to describe how it comes about. 
The experience is so much a part of ourselves that we 
are not always conscious of the actual cause of our 
impressions. Mr. Grahame, like the artist, dis¬ 
played much of his natural talent in showing us 
how to see things as they are, and to see them 
correctly. 
He treated in turn the methods of culture, the 
kinds to cultivate, and the general effect certain 
combinations made in the spring garden. He 
regretted that " Spring Gardening ” had not a more 
widespread hold on the profession as well as the 
amateurs. In conclusion the lecturer dealt extremely 
pathetically with youthful associations and the per¬ 
manent effect that a flower has on the individual 
throughout his life. Most people have their pet 
flower, because it is associated with some particular 
event. The lecturer has his, and we have also ours, 
though not of the same natural order, yet both are 
