796 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 12, 1899. 
has on the estate for his servants. This comfort, 
which all the workers on the estate enjoy, we think, 
is the highest incentive to the ennobling of the human 
character. We wish that many more of our landed 
proprietors would take a lesson from the felicitous 
policy of the benevolent proprietor of Rossdhu. 
It may be mentioned that the well-known writers, 
Mrs. Walford and Miss F. Mary Colquhoun, are 
cousins of Sir James.— D. Chisholm. 
» ! ■ 
HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
The hardy flowers are in great profusion and 
variety during early August, and whether they re¬ 
main fresh for a lengthened time or go speedily past 
is a matter which the weather-clerk has largely the 
power of deciding. Certain it is that a saturation 
from rain would stretch out the fuller life pulse of 
open-air vegetation. The Inulas are bright embodi¬ 
ments at this time. 
Inula grandiflora is a hardy, rough and ready 
type of a plant. It is not refined or beautiful at all, 
yet it is very frequently patronised. A strong, firm 
land, with an unstinted yield of moisture, and a free 
light and airy plateau returns us the most vigorous 
and typical plants. Though generally raised from 
seeds it may also be increased by division of the 
stock in springtime. 
The Acanthus lusitanicus from round the 
coasts of the Mediterranean is a lovely foliaged 
plant, and though the blooms cannot be praised for 
their beauty there is yet a peculiar grandeur or 
something bordering on grandeur in their rugged, 
bristling, upright shoots. It has a paler hue of green 
and grey when grown in shade, but it succeeds pro¬ 
perly enough. The flower spikes are more liberally 
thrown up when the sun’s influence has liberty upon 
it. A good sandy loam, deep, rich and moist will 
answer its needs in this line. Its flowers and 
structure are somewhat embarrassing to insect 
visitors. Propagation is increased by division of the 
root-stocks in autumn and winter, or frcm seeds. 
Gaillardia grandiflora. —Certainly this is the 
grandest of any of the Gaillardias I might name. It 
is brightly coloured, freely flowered, the blooms 
being large and well borne. It is now in full beauty. 
The usual method of gaining a stock is by making a 
sowing indoors in March, and by pricking them off, 
and later on planting cut the young seedlings to ob¬ 
tain a show of flower the same season. The variety 
Mary Anderson is dwarfer, but in other respects 
resembles G. grandiflora. This form is believed 
to have come as a hybrid from G. picta and G. 
aristata, and certainly well combines the qualities of 
these two. Its variety, G. g. maxima, is larger, but 
less refined. 
Pentstemon barbatus. —Of all the Pentstemons 
I like barbatus best. It has an individuality not 
shared by any other flowering plant blooming at this 
time. The long slender, nearly naked and arching 
racemes have bracts or slender leaves from 
which the pedicels of the crimson-scarlet tubular 
flowers pendently sway The dark foliage is almost 
wholly confined to the bottom of the plants. It 
makes a dense tuft of creeping roots, which enable 
one to propagate it by division. It flowers from the 
middle of July till the end of September under suit¬ 
able conditions, and these are, a shady border in rich 
sandy soil. The old name of Chelone barbata is now 
done away with. The bushy, branching types of P 
H artwegi are in the height of their beauty now. 
ARDENING MISCELLANY. 
LANTANA CHELSEA GEM. 
In a recent visit to Messrs. Veitch’s, Chelsea Nursery, 
a bed filled with this bright little plant was pointed 
out to me. It was splendid. This variety of the 
Lantana is compact, dwarf, and spreading, bearing 
a shower of rich orange-crinfton blooms. To 
increase it, either strike cuttings, divide the plants, 
or sow seeds. For massing in small beds nothing 
could be better.— D. 
SOME BEAUTIFUL CACTI. 
Among the bright and really beautiful specimens 
seen in Messrs. Cannell & Sons’ group at a Drill 
Hall show some time ago, none were finer or more 
interesting than Opuntia microdasys, O. ursinus, the 
Grizzly Bear Cactus, and one of the funniest pieces 
of vegetable organism any one could wish to see, 
being clothed in long,strong,dry white hairs; Mammil- 
laria spinosissima is also a wonderful piece of struc¬ 
ture, strongly protected; M. boscasana, a large hairy- 
headed species; M. haageana, presents a beautiful 
black and white, spiny mixture; M. lasiacantha is 
lovely because of its rounded, bulging, foamy out¬ 
lines; and M. recurvispina is also secure in 
its own mail. Echinocactus Grusoni, the golden 
Cactus as it is termed, has pretty yellow spines 
curving all over Its fat rounded sides. E. cylind- 
raceus versicolor has a mixture pink-coral and pale 
peach coloured spines, making it a fitting companion 
to the other one named. E. peruvianus has great 
fish-hooks; and forms of Cereus, Pilocereus, and 
other remarkable plants of this very curious section 
of the plant world, the viewing of which to any one 
with a contemplative mind and not impatient would 
be a veritable feast. 
DICTAMNUS FRAXINELLA. 
Though the Fraxinella is not at all uncommon, it 
might yet be more fully spread about, for I am con¬ 
fident that wherever grown the cultivator values it 
as a noble flowering border plant. Growing erectly 
from under two feet, to over a yard, forming also 
dense tufts of stems, at the extremities of which the 
large finely borne racemes of purplish flowers pen¬ 
cilled with deeper veins are gloriouly conspicuous. 
It flowers in June and July, doing best in parts just a 
little bit shaded. Though it is not exacting in its 
regard for special soils, it will yet be found in extra 
good form on the chalky uplands. There is a white 
variety (D. albus) which, however, is not really pure 
enough. The Fraxinella balls from away East, 
among the Caucasus Mountains.— D. 
THE FEATHER GRASS. 
If I was singled down to a unitary selection in 
beautiful and ornamental grasses, I believe that 
Stipapennata might be the chosen member. Nothing 
that I can at present recall to mind exceeds the 
Feather Grass for soft, silken grace, for the loveliness 
of its flowing lines, and its gentle appearance al¬ 
together. Associated in close contiguity to some 
defiant-looking upright Juncus, or beady, heady, 
Briza, the qualities of this Stipa are all the more 
enhanced. From seed sown in early spring, on 
light soil, the wavy plumes will be produced towards 
autumn.— J. Morton Hall. 
IMPATIENS BALSAMINA. 
Though it is as common as the veriest weed, one 
likes to see this great sappy stemmed plant flourishing, 
in some corner of gardens. It seems to be contented 
and healthy anywhere and anyhow, and though 
there may be little really to admire in it, the points 
of interest it possesses are not scarce. The bursting 
of its seed vessels on a warm day is quite a taking 
quality. 
GILLENIA TRIFOLIATA. 
For a hardy and typically graceful border plant 
Gillenia trifoliata has an individuality all its own. 
The plant is very hardy and grows well in a medium 
soil. The flowers are wavy, varying from red to 
white and gracefully disposed. The leaves are dark 
green and much ribbed, also, of course, trifoliate. 
The propagation is effected by division, or by seed 
sowing. 
ERICA VENTRICOSA MAGNIFICA. 
Just for the sake of proving the point as to whether 
the flowering qualities of this variety of the ventri- 
cosa section, whose usual and natural period of flower¬ 
ing is May, would be lessened, or, indeed, whether 
they would appear at all if pinched and manipulated 
to throw it back for two months, such a practice 
was tied with a few at a large nursery this year. 
The result is satisfactory, as flowering plants of this 
variety can be had in July. 
HARDY CYCLAMEN. 
The fact that Cyclamen are all hardy, except C. lati- 
folium, is not made much use of, and the wonder is, 
why ? Given a sheltered border and shade, amoug 
rough stonework presenting a humic root-space be¬ 
tween or among them, the beauty of the perky, 
turned flowers is highly satisfying. Of course, they 
require to be frequently renewed, just as we require 
new stocks for pot culture. They should first of all 
be established in pots and then carefully planted 
out. Two great points to their well being, as already 
pointed out, are shade and moisture, both in 
moderation, of course. 
SOCIETIES. 
LIVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.— 
August 3 rd to 7 th. 
This society has tried a new departure this season 
by entering into an arrangement with the Royal 
Lancashire Agricultural Society, so that the twin in¬ 
dustries, the garden, and farm, may for the time 
being work hand in hand. Without doubt this 
arrangement will afford general satisfaction to the 
subscribers of the association, whereby they have the 
opportunity of seeing one of the finest agricultural 
shows in the country without any increased cost. 
The exhibition was held on the Wavertree Recrea¬ 
tion Ground, which is ample and of easy access. 
The arrangements between the two societies are 
simple ; the Association makes the schedule and pro¬ 
vides the prizes, value £250; the Agricultural 
Society provides tents, tabling, printing, advertising, 
&c. The exhibitors complain that the exhibition, 
which opened on the 3rd and closed on the 7th inst.,is 
too long, and no doubt the complaint is a proper one, 
and one that has to a considerable extent caused a 
falling off in the entries, that of the fruit section 
especially. It is to be regretted that such a fine col¬ 
lection of fruit should be kept until it becomes worth¬ 
less, which must be, with the exception of the 
Grapes. 
Plants. —These were hardly up to the society’s 
usual high standard, but this, unfortunately, is 
owing to the absence of two or three well-known ex¬ 
hibitors, especially in the larger and more important 
classes in which Palms, Crotons, and Ferns prove 
important factors. 
The leading class for ten stove and greenhouse 
plants, five foliage and five flowering, was worthily 
won by Mr. J. Bracegirdle, gardener to W. H. 
Watts, Esq., Wavertree, with Kentia canterburyana, 
Chamaerops excelsa, C. humilis arborea, Croton 
Weismanni, C. Queen Victoria, Erica retort a major, 
Allamanda Chelsonii, A. grandis, Ixora Prince of 
OraDge and Bougainvillea glabra; Mr. R. Pinning- 
ton, gardener to Mrs. Banner, Roby, was second. 
For three stove and greenhouse plants in flower, 
Mr. Bracegirdle again took the lead with fresh 
plants. 
Mr. T. Hitchman, gardener to A. Earle, Esq., 
Cbildwall and Mr. E. Bridge, gardener to Mrs. 
Jowett, Huyton, took the remaining prizes. 
For five foliage plants, Mr. Bracegirdle again took 
the lead with Kentia fosteriana, Anthurium crystal- 
linum, Croton Disraeli, and C. Queen Victoria; Mr. 
R. Pinnington was second. 
For three Palms or Cycads, Mr. Bracegirdle and 
Mr. T. Carling were placed as named. For six table 
plants, Mr. Carling led the way, Mr. E. R. Finch 
following. 
For six exotic Ferns, distinct, Mr. Bracegirdle 
still held his own with Gleichenia Mendelli, 6 ft. in 
diameter, Cibotium Schmidtii, Goniophlebium sub- 
auriculatum, Davallia mooreana, D. fijiensis plumosa, 
and Microlepia hirta cristata. Mr. J. A. Bartlett 
was second with good plants. 
For three exotic Ferns, Mr. G. Eaton, gardener to 
Col. W. H. Shirley, Allerton, won with Davallia 
fijiensis plumosa, Nephrolepis davallioides furcans, 
&c. For one Tree Fern, Mr. Bracegirdle was in his 
lisual position ; winning also for the dwarf kind. 
For four exotic Orchids, J. Smith, Esq., won with 
good plants for the single specimen. Mr. W. Lyon, 
gardener to A. McKenzie Smith, Esq., won with 
Oncidium lanceanum. For two varieties (prizes 
presented by Messrs. John Cowan & Co ), Mr. C. 
Duke, gardener to J. Cross, Esq , won with Dendro- 
bium jamesianum and Lycaste Deppei. 
For six Dracaenas, Mr. T. Carling was to the fore 
with good plants. For six Crotons, in 8 in pots (the 
prizes presented by Messrs. Dickson and Sadler), J. 
A. Bartlett, Esq., and Mr. T. Carling were placed as 
named. For three Fuchsias and the single specimen, 
Mr. Bracegirdle had the best. 
There were groups in two classes, one in circular 
form occupying 250 sq. ft., and one semi circle of 
100 ft, Mr. Bracegirdle was an easy first for the 
