January 16, 1897. 
310 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
summer had a little to do with this. I put two 
spikes of Calanthe Veitchi just for you to see how 
the two things combine when arranged in a glass. I 
myself think the combination perfect.” 
The Acacia is always very abundant in the London 
fnarkets at this season of the year, the present being 
no exception. It may be used for decorative pur¬ 
poses long after it is dry and dead, for the graceful 
tassels of flowers look fresh for months, although the 
leaves close up like those of the Sensitive Plant. The 
long sprays are packed in boxes and sent from the 
Riviera and other districts in the South of Europe. 
The racemes of Calanthe Veitchi were excellent 
examples of cultivation, being about 20 in. and 24 in. 
long, and carrying 30 and 37 flowers respectively. Our 
readers will remember that Mr. Mayne gave the details 
of his method of cultivating Calanthes on p. 247, and 
the specimens sent show that he understands the 
likings of this popular Orchid. He has had as 
many as 50 flowers on a raceme, but surely 30 to 37 
should satisfy the most fastidious and exacting. The 
flowers sent were of good or even large size, and the 
rich colour left nothing to be desired. We have 
seen samples under the name of C. Veitchi superba 
that were not more highly coloured. The atmosphere 
of Devon is highly surcharged with moisture in winter 
but the light is good, and the air clear and whole¬ 
some. We are afraid the fogs have mostly settled 
the Calanthes in the vicinity of London. 
-—*•- 
WEBBS’ SPRING CATALOGUE. 
The high class standard of this annual is still main¬ 
tained and the beauty of the illustrations is largely 
due to the advance made in photography. Most of 
the larger pictures consist of photographic reproduc¬ 
tions. There are, however, three full page coloured 
plates representing a great variety of popular flowers 
indispensable to a well kept garden. 
Here, as in other cases already mentioned, vege¬ 
tables come ia for a large share of attention, and 
Potatos, if anything, are more effectively reproduced 
than any other subject. A dish of boiled Potatos is 
the first attempt of the kind we remember being re¬ 
produced by photography or any other process. We 
cannot say that the picture is such a success as the 
uncooked samples, but we are aware of the difficulty 
of photographing white or uncoloured masses whose 
outline has been broken and rendered indistinct by 
boiling. Possibly they were hot while the operation 
was effected. Webbs' new Potatos Record and 
Progress have come out with wonderful distinctness. 
The same may be said of Renown, Industry, Gold- 
finder and Yeoman, which are beautifully executed. 
Cauliflowers, Cabbages, Broccoli, Melons, Savoys, 
Lettuces, Onions, Turnips, and Tomatos all give a 
good conception of their peculiarities or characteris¬ 
tics. Usually the fruits of Tomatos come out almost 
of a solid black as photographic reproductions, but 
Webb’s Sensation Tomato, represented on p. 40 is a 
wonderful combination of light and shade. 
Flowers also come in for a fair share of attention, 
but a large number of the illustrations consist of 
wood blocks. A bouquet of Webbs’ White Queen 
Aster, from a photograph has been very well repre¬ 
sented, notwithstanding the massive and solid 
character of the original. Chinese Primulas also 
come out well, but the massive character of the 
flo wers of Stocks and their colours do not readily 
lend themselves to the photographic art. There is 
no doubt, however, but that horticulture is faithfully 
represented by photography. 
RHODODENDRON NOBLEANUM. 
Early flowering hybrid Rhododendrons are 
generally considered tender with respect to the 
flowers, because liable to be destroyed by late spring 
frosts. We are all the more agreeably surprised, 
therefore, to find them in full bloom at mid-winter. 
We are in receipt of a box of perfectly fresh trusses 
of bloom of Rhododendron nobleanum from Mr. 
John Simons, The Gardens, Glendoune, Girvan, 
Ayrshire, showing the relative mildness of the 
Carrick district. The plant has been in bloom since 
November, and this is usually the case with one 
plant which opens its blooms earlier or later every 
year, according to the state of the weather from 
November onwards. There are still hundreds of 
blossoms on the plant yet to open. Other specimens 
of the same variety in the gardens do not open till 
March and onwards through April and May. The 
flowering plant is the dwarfest in the bed, and faces 
due east. It is sheltered by its taller companions, 
and also by a high bank which begins to rise about 
ten yards away. The west of Scotland, including 
Ayrshire, joys a milder winter than the east coast. 
On Christmas eve the temperature of Fifeshire was 
rather low, and severe frost was threatening ; by 
new year’s eve, however, the temperature became as 
high as it had previously been low. The Rhodo¬ 
dendron in question has doubtless been highly 
favoured by this unwonted mildness. The flowers 
are scarlet, shaded with rose in the centre, and very 
effective at this season of the year, either in the 
garden or in the cut state. Some people pot up the 
plants belonging to this early-flowering race in the 
autumn, and shelter them in a greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory, thereby getting the full advantage of their 
flowers without risk of their being destroyed by frost. 
Both flowers and leaves of this variety show that the 
Himalayan R. arboreum was one of the parents. It 
is remarkable, therefore, that the varieties of R. 
nobleanum should be so dwarf seeing that R, 
arboreum forms a tree of 20 ft. to 25 ft. in height. 
The narrow leaves of R. nobleanum are dark green 
above and cinnamon beneath. 
--f*-- 
GOOD AND BAD SEEDS. 
After the usual routine of business had been got 
through connected with the Chislehurst Gardeners’ 
Mutual Improvement Association on Tuesday, the 
5th inst., Mr. H. Cannell, of Swanley, gave a long 
and exceedingly interesting lecture on " Seeds,” 
showing by diagrams why Cabbages run prema¬ 
turely to seed, a behavour commonly known as 
" bolting,” which has been very prevalent of late 
years. It was generally admitted much of it has 
been caused by cheap foreign seeds. Several 
questions were asked, and in answering them Mr. 
Cannell entered very deeply and exhaustively into 
the very earliest history of the use of the Cab¬ 
bage, and proved that its failing to produce eatable 
hearts was the result of weakness generally, 
caused by drought, either when the seeds were in the 
course of formation or after transplanting. Another 
cause of weakness was the storing of seeds for a long 
time in paper or wood, both of which absorb the oil, 
sugar, and other important properties on which the 
young plant would live during and between the time 
of germination and their deriving nourishment from 
the soil. He showed unmistakably and plainly how 
necessary it is to have the finest possible seeds, 
which naturally contain all' the properties and 
strength, so that every plant may have a robust 
constitution to send out strong roots to search for 
food in all directions. From these a branching habit 
was to follow, so that in the case of Peas, for 
example, only half the usual quantity of seed 
was needed to ensure a heavy crop. He gave 
many instances of the productiveness of the county 
of Kent, its natural advantages and other very 
important matters. The diagrams showed a well 
developed root system, and a stout stem from which 
a good head of Cabbage had been cut; and a long 
weak, crooked stem, with few roots attached, and 
which had ” bolted ” in spring, that is, ran to flowers 
and seed. He rivetted the closest attention of a 
large roomful of practical,gardeners for more than 
an hour, when an enthusiastic vote of thanks was 
accorded him. One and all wished him long life and 
prosperity, hoping to hear him many more times in 
St. Mary’s Rooms, at Chislehurst. They then 
sent him home in the smartest fly they could find. 
--- 
TIE PLANT HOUSES. 
The Stove. 
Work will soon begin to multiply apace in tMs 
department, and all the regular winter’s work, such 
as cleaning, pruning, etc., should be seen to as soon 
as possible, in order that when the season for potting 
has arrived, the whole strength can be set to work. 
Aquatics. —The present is a favourable oppor¬ 
tunity to operate upon these. The tank, first of all, 
should be well cleaned out, for rubbish is pretty sure 
to accumulate in the course of a twelvemonth, and 
this is the only time at which a good cleaning can be 
given with safety. 
Nymphaeas may then be turned out of their pots 
and repotted. The soil should have been prepared 
some time previously by stacking good turfy loam in 
alternate layers with cow manure. This makes 
capital stuff for Nymphaeas, and they thrive 
amazingly in it. Failing a compost of this kind, 
good loam should be procured, and mixed, as far as 
possible, with a fourth part of fresh cow manure. 
The operation of mixing is somewhat difficult, as it 
is almost impossible to get the manure evenly 
distributed throughout the body of loam. 
Cyperus papvrus. —In roomy houses where the 
tank is of fair size, a clump of this noble Cyperus 
growing in the tank, produces a magnificent effect. 
On a foundation of clinkers, a bed should be made up 
so as to rise about 8 in. above the highest level of 
the water in the tank. Soil similar to that given to 
the Nymphaeas may be employed. Before shifting 
the roots of the Cyperus to their new quarters, 
the heads should be looked over for mealy bug. 
Should they be very dirty, it will be the best plan to 
cut them down and allow the plants to throw up 
fresh ones. This may seem drastic treatment, and 
there is no doubt that it weakens the plants greatly 
for a time, but they soon begin to pick up again, and 
ere the season has far advanced will be as strong as 
ever. 
Anthuriums.— Included in this genus are some 
very useful stove plants, and some that are well 
worthy of the little extra attention they need if they 
are to do really well. The month of January is the 
best part of the year in which to pot them, as they 
may then be shifted with less fear of their receiving 
injury than at any other time. Where it is decided 
to increase the stock, bulky plants may be divided 
up. This operation should not be entrusted to any¬ 
body, however, for injury to the roots must be 
avoided at all costs. Other plants which have 
grown long and lanky may have their tops taken off 
and put in to make fresh plants, whilst the old ones, 
if kept syringed, will soon make fresh breaks. For 
compost, good turfy loam should be obtained. This 
must be chopped up roughly and pulled to pieces by 
hand, the small stuff being shaken out meanwhile. 
To the loam may be added fibrous peat, such as that 
used for Orchids in equal quantities A handful of 
nodules of charcoal and plenty of sand, with a little 
sphagnum moss will also be necessary. After having 
been pulled about, the plants will require to be 
coddled a little. There will not be enough heat in 
the larger stove for them, and the atmosphere there 
will likewise be rather too dry. They should, there¬ 
fore, be removed to a close pit where a temperature 
of not less than 65° Fahr. by night, with a pro¬ 
portionate rise by day can be given. Here they may 
be kept syringed, and will soon start growing. 
Temperature. —About the end of the next week a 
slight increase of temperature may be effected with 
advantage in the stove. Throughout the winter, a 
temperature of about 6o° Fahr. has been maintained 
at night, but at the time specified a rise of 2 9 may be 
given. 
Pits and Frames. 
With the lengthening of the days, things will soon 
become very busy in this department. There are so 
many things to be thought about in order to keep the 
show houses well furnished. 
Tuberous Begonias. —The seed saved from last 
year, or purchased from the seedsman, should be 
overhauled without delay. It is desirable to have as 
long a season of growth as possible for the seedlings, 
both with a view to the formation of good tubers, as 
well as to discover what kind of varieties they are. 
Often enough the first flowers thrown are not a true 
test of the value of the variety, and in doubles 
particularly, this is to be observed. Make up some 
seed pans, draining them well, and filling them to 
within § in. of the top of the rims with light sandy 
soil The soil should be watered carefully with a 
fine rose can, and the seed may then be distributed 
thinly over the surface. Cover it with a slight 
sprinkling of fine soil or sand. A piece of glass 
should be laid over the pans, as this will assist 
germination by keeping the soil and the atmosphere 
in direct contact with the seed moist. A temperature 
of about 65° will be required, and even then germina¬ 
tion is sometimes very irregular. 
Caladiums. —It is now high time that a few of 
these were started, as they come in very useful for 
decorative purposes early in the summer. The 
tubers may be staited very readily if they are laid 
in shallow boxes, and covered with light soil or 
cocoa-nut fibre refuse. Those cultivators who have 
especially rare or valuable varieties, however, 
may not care to entrust them to a box amongst other 
varieties, and such tubers may well be placed singly 
