January 30, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
345 
Asparagus plumosus. —Yes, Graig, cuttings of this 
will root. Take them off with a slight heel, 
iosert in very sandy soil, and place them in a 
propagating frame where they will get a brisk 
bottom heat. We recommend seed sowing, however, 
as being by far the better plan, as it invariably 
produces vigorous plants, which cuttings will not often 
do. 
Staging for plant houses.—Undoubtedly a stage 
built of iron framework with a slate bed is the most 
substantial of any, Duncan L , but it is also the most 
expensive. Sheets of corrugated galvanised iron 
will come much cheaper than the slate, and will 
answer the purpose quiie as well. They may be 
covered with shingle or crushed coke, to a depth of 
from i$ to 2 in. 
-- 
DIEFFENBACHIA MELEAGRIS. 
This graceful and beautiful species was discovered in 
the equatorial regions of South America. It first 
appeared in this country at the Temple Show of the 
Royal Horticultural Society where it was exhibited 
by Messrs. Linden, L’Horticulture Internationale, 
Parc Leopold, Brussels. It formed part of an exhibit 
of novelties with variegated foliage. The specific 
name refers to the beautiful variegation of the petioles 
which are tessellated like the feathers of a guinea 
hen, or like the flowers of Fritillaria Meleagris, the 
latter being the scientific name for the guinea hen, a 
beautiful but noisy bird not so often seen in collec¬ 
tions of poultry, perhaps, as it used to be. The 
ivory-white blotches are unequal in size and distri¬ 
bution over an olive-green groundwork. The petioles 
are long and much more graceful that those of the 
numerous species of Dieffenbachia already in cultiva¬ 
tion, and for that reason the plant is better adapted 
for table decoration. The lamina of the leaf is ovate, 
elongated, thickened at the entire margin, and 
furnished with a fe v creamy-white blotches both on 
the upper and under surface, on a dark green ground. 
Like the rest of its kind it requires stove treatment, 
and we should suspect it to be more suitable for 
withstanding the dry atmosphere of dwelling rooms 
than its congeners. Messrs. Linden have given us 
this opportunity of reproducing a plant that is as yet 
but little known. 
-~a——-- 
CHINESE PRIMULAS AT READING. 
At the end of last week, in the midst 
of a blizzard of blinding snow from the 
cold north, we found our way to the 
Portland Road Nurseries of Messrs. Sutton & Sons, 
Reading, and though the houses were shaded with a 
heavy coat of snow, the interior presented a strange 
and brilliant contrast to the tempest raging outside. 
While the snow in London had a muddy appearance, 
here it was clean and altogether winter-like The 
Primulas, on the contrary, were suggestive of sum¬ 
mer on account of the quantity of flowers and their 
bright and lively appearance. The numerous 
varieties in their various sections are arranged 
together in masses of a sort in the span-roofed houses, 
which are well-adapted for the cultivation of soft- 
wooded subjects. There is no better way of culti¬ 
vating Primulas than growing them in houses by 
themselves where the proper treatment can be 
accorded them. They fill several houses at Reading 
and, with exception of a houseful of plants on trial 
to test whether the seed is all true to name, they are 
grown for the production of seed. Therefore, 
those who would like to'see them in their full beauty 
should pay a visit to Reading at once, because the 
flowers begin to drop soon after they have been 
pollinated. When merely grown for decorative pur¬ 
poses the flowers last much longer, and the lateral 
trusses continue the succession of bloom for months. 
The absence of insects in winter precludes the 
possibility of the crossing of the flowers by that 
agency, and that also is in favour of the cultivator. 
Single Varieties. 
Snowdrift is one of the earliest to bloom even when 
the seeds of all the varieties are sown together; 
and it is rightly named by reason of the profusion of 
pure white flowers which it produces. Another 
quality is that the flowers do not readily drop when 
the plants are shaken about. The foliage is pale 
green, and Fern-leaved. Sutton’s Blue is also a 
Fern-leaved variety, with clear and bright Forget- 
me-not flowers of most pleasing aspect when seen in 
groups or batches, and most effective in a conserva¬ 
tory. Every plant blooms abundantly, and forms a 
centre of attraction. The large rosy-pink flowers of 
Rosy Queen are charming in their delicacy, and the 
quantity in which it is grown attests its popularity. 
The Fern-leaved foliage is of a light green, and in 
that respect corresponds with the character of the 
flowers. Those of Brilliant Rose are dark rose, 
deepening to carmine with age, and the mixture of 
tints to be seen on a plant in full bloom is charming 
as an object lesson in colour harmony. Gipsy Queen 
stands out in strong contrast to Rosy Queen, inas¬ 
much as there is no correlation of homologous parts. 
It is a Fern-leaved type, with leaves of a bronzy- 
olive above and of a dark bronzy hue beneath ; yet 
the flowers are pure white, or occasionally tinted 
with blush. In its way there is nothing more dis- 
dinct in cultivation. 
Time is the best test of a good Primula, and in 
Pearl surely nothing could be more decisive of its 
general utility than the fact that it was put into 
commerce as early as 1879. The large pure white 
flowers, borne well above the foliage, change to a 
pearly tint with age ; and every part of the plant 
still betokens a sturdy and vigorous life. The 
bronzy foliage and large pure white flowers of Royal 
White also marks out another fine thing altogether 
worthy of the cultivator’s best art. The flowers of 
Reading Pink open of a delicate hue, a'nd deepen 
with age, till they surpass those of Rosy Queen in 
that respect. These light colours are pleasing in 
themselves, and always draw a considerable amount 
of attention from the general public. The leaves are 
light green, and of the ordinary form. Brilliant 
Ruby has the same dwarf habit as Ruby King, from 
which it originated, but the flowers are darker even 
than those of Brilliant Rose, as they get fully 
developed. The plain-leaved Reading Blue is the 
darkest of the blues, and produces an abundance of 
blossom, well above the bronzy-green foliage. In 
Purity we have something that recalls Gipsy Queen, 
but the foliage is of a much lighter bronzy shade, 
and the flowers are white as the driven snow. 
Single-flowered Giant Strain. 
The varieties belonging to this section are charac¬ 
terised by the great size of the individual flowers. 
Twenty years ago no one could have believed that 
Chinese Primulas would ever produce flowers larger 
than the face of an English lever watch. Giant 
Royal White is the finest white in the section, for the 
huge flowers measure 2% in. across, are of great 
substance and pure white. The robust leaves have 
bronzy petioles. Unfortunately it is not yet plentiful 
enough to be sold separately, but the surplus seeds 
are disseminated in mixture with others of the giant 
strain. Giant Pink is an admirable companion to the 
above, and has light green leaves and flowers of the 
largest size. Indeed, on this score the two varieties 
leave nothing to be desired. Giant White has large 
flowers, tinted with blush as they age, and this con¬ 
trast with the rich golden eye is well marked. Giant 
White (Fern-leaved) differs in no important 
particular from the previous variety except in foliage. 
Giant Crimson forms a well-marked contrast to 
either of the above. An unnamed seedling of a rosy- 
salmon has its flowers thrown well above the foliage. 
We expect to hear more of it anon, but at present 
the spare seeds are put in the mixed packets. The 
same may be said of Giant Lavender, a very distinct 
colour, and of huge size; but, like other varieties of 
high development, it seeds but sparingly. 
