632 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 5,1897. 
||ints for J| mateurs - 
Lupinus polyphyllus. — Although there are many 
charming herbaceous plants in flower at this season 
of the year, there is none that is more effective and 
conspicuous than Lupinus polyphyllus, and its 
charming varieties. The plant is a native of 
Columbia, from whence it was introduced about the 
year 1826. It has certainly made the best of the 
eighty years or eo during which it has been cultivated 
in this country, for it would be hard to find a 
herbaceous border that does not contain a few 
specimens. Naturally it is of stately habit, a very 
free bloomer, hardy and easy to grow, and when cut 
lasts very well in water. Now as the value of the 
herbaceous border to a very large extent lies in the 
supply of materials for filling vases, &c , that it gives 
for a very great part of the year, it is manifest that 
the Lupine, with its good standing qualities should 
not be lacking. For filling large vases, which require 
tall showy subjects as a base for the smaller and 
lighter stuff, it is well suited. Besides growing it in 
the herbaceous border, it is also very suitable for 
planting in semi-sheltered spots in the wild garden, 
for in such positions it grows with great luxuriance. 
In addition to tbe.type, which has dark blue flowers 
and runs to about 4 ft. in height, there are several 
varieties that are well worth growing, the two prin¬ 
cipal ones being the following :— 
L. p. albus, as the name signifies, is a white form, 
and one of great beauty and value. When the 
flowers first open there is a creamy-yellow shade 
about them, but this soon goes, and pure white is 
left. It is rather shorter than the type, being about 
3 ft. in height, but occasionally when doing well 
there is little difference in stature to be observed 
between the two. 
L. p. Foxii is a kind of intermediate stage as far as 
colour is concerned. The flowers are dark blue 
striped with white. The white is most conspicuous 
upon the upper petal or standard, where it is 
confined to the centre of the petal, the margin being 
of dark blue; but as the sides of the standard are 
folded back, the white and not the blue is seen by 
the casual observer. In height this variety grows 
from 3 ft. to 4 ft. 
The name of the genus is said to be derived from 
the Latin lupus, a wolf, from a malign influence that 
the plants were supposed to exercise upon the soil, 
viz., that of destroying or impairing its fertility. It 
is almost needless to say that this fallacy has been 
long exploded—to the advantage of the Lupine and 
lovers of flowers as well. 
Linum grandiflorum.—This is a hardy annual, 
and thus unlike L. narbonense which is a perennial, 
but it possesses the same free flowering qualities, 
and is nearly, if not quite as useful, although much 
dwarfer in habit. The flowers are rather larger and 
crimson-rose in hue. There is a form named L. g. 
rubrum which is equally good. Both these forms do 
not bear transplanting well, and thus it is advisable 
to sow them in patches at the beginning of April in 
the herbaceous border or rockery in the places 
where they are intended to flower. By this time the 
seedlings will have reached a good height, having 
grown wonderfully since the re.cent showers after the 
drought of the greater part of May. It will be well, 
therefore, to put in a few light stakes round the 
clumps and connect them with fine strands of 
matting. This will be all the support required. 
Japanese Maples.—At least one useful feature of 
the late Temple Show was the way iu which the 
decorative value of the so-called Japanese Maples 
was brought into prominence, three exhibits of them 
having been made by different firms. These groups 
were justly admired by visitors, many of whom were 
heard to remark that they had no idea that such 
pretty little trees could be grown in small pots. 
That is usually the crux of the whole matter, “if 
people only knew.” It would be very difficult to 
find prettier foliage plants for the decoration of 
conservatories and small villa gardens than these. 
At an early age the plants exhibit the mature 
characteristics of colour and cutting of the leaf, 
while there is apparent none of that hideous distortion 
that marks the dwarfed Japanese plants in the Royal 
Botanic Society’s Gardens at Regent’s Park, which 
were referred to in a recent issue. When grown in 
pots, and fed during the growing season with liquid 
manure it is astonishing how long the plants will 
remain in health and condition in the same pots ; 
indeed they always seem to do better when 
thoroughly pot-bound—a state of affairs that many 
plants would not stand. Naturally enough the 
quantity of water that such'pot-bound plants require 
is very great, and during hot weather it is very diffi¬ 
cult indeed to give them tco much. On this point it 
is to be feared that many amateurs fall short. 
Comparatively few seem to know the quantity of 
water that should be given at one time in order to 
soak the balls of the plants properly. As long as 
the surface looks damp they think it is all right, 
when in reality it is all wrong. It is of importance, 
therefore to warn intending cultivators against the 
practice of giving water in dribbles. 
There is a great number of forms in cultivation; 
thanks to the care and assiduity with which our 
nurserymen have developed new varieties. They 
are all the progeny of two species, viz. A. japonicum 
and A. palmatum, and these two have proved ex¬ 
tremely variable under cultivation. The following 
will be found a good selection, although it does not 
by any means exhaust the list, but is simply 
representative. 
A. palmatum itself attains to a height of about 20 
feet in its native country, Japan. It was introduced 
into this country in or about the year 1820. 
A. p. atropurpureum has bold leaves with large 
lobes, bronzy-purple in colour. This form readily 
assumes a dense, bushy habit, and is most effective in 
shrubberies near to the house. 
A. p. dissectum is a variety with very finely divided 
leaves. It makes a most graceful pot plant, the 
foliage being elegant in the extreme. There are 
several sub-varieties of this, differing from each 
other in the colour of the leaves. A. p. d. purpureum 
has very fine bronzy-copper foliage. A. p. d. varie- 
gatum affords a strong contrast to this. The leaves 
are bronze-green, variegated with light pick and 
white A p. dissectum and its forms are deservedly 
great favourites. 
A p. flavescens has the leaves not so deeply di¬ 
vided as the afore-mentioned. The lobes too are 
larger and bolder. The colour is white-green with 
bright green veins and midribs. Grown side by side 
with the dark leaved plants, this form gives a charm¬ 
ing contrast and is most conspicuous. It is certainly 
one of the handsomest of the light foliaged varieties. 
A. p. septemlobum is very variable in the number 
of lobes to the leaf, which varies from 5 to 7 as the 
varietal name foreshadows, and occasionally 8 or 9 
are found, so that the name after all is not a really 
descriptive one. A. p s. elegans purpureum is well 
set up for names, but it is a charming form with 
rich vinous red foliage, very rich and effective in a 
good specimen. It is not so good in a small state, 
but the colour improves with age. 
A. p. tricolor is bright green, prettily splashed and 
suffused with rose. 
A. p. roseum marginatum has very small palm- 
ately five-lobed leaves, light green in colour, with a 
distinct margin of rose-pink. Small plants of this 
usually exhibit the characteristic colours and mark¬ 
ing to perfection. 
A. p. involutum is a curious form with very small 
leaves divided to J or f of their length. They are 
green with bright red petioles, and the margins are 
regularly involute. 
A. japonicum also reaches a height of about 20 ft. 
in Japan. It was brought to this country in 1863, 
that is 43 years after the advent of A. palmatum. 
The leaves are large, palmate in shape, and in colour 
green, slightly tipped with red. 
A. j. laciniatum is a very pretty form in which the 
lobes of the leaves are in their turn cut or laciniated. 
This lacinia'ion is somewhat variable in degree, but 
improves the appearance of the foliage, making it 
look much more elegant. — Rex. 
- « » - 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
A nyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
" Amateurs' Page ” on the top of their letters. 
Watering a Peach Border. — Will you tell me if 
once a fortnight is too often to water the border of a 
Peach house ? The trees are healthy, and are 
bearing a fair crop. Is it necessary to warm the 
water ? Subscriber. 
If the border is well drained and the trees are 
healthy ones, a fortnight will not be too often to give 
water during the summer months. If the water is 
obtained from a pond or tank open to the influence 
of the sun, the water will be quite warm enough, but 
if it is taken from a covered tank or well by means of 
a pump, warm water should be added in sufficient 
quantities to raise its temperature to 6o° Fahr. 
Budding Roses.— M. 0 . July is the month for 
budding. The exact time will depend upon the 
condition of the briers. When the bark lifts easily 
the bud may be inserted, but not before. 
Potting Chrysanthemums — R., Hereford. If the 
plants are put into their flowering pots early in next 
month, they will be in good time. Certainly some 
people start in May, but only in cases where the 
plants are either very strong or in the case of the 
stock being very large, a proportionate length of time 
being needed to finish potting. 
Calceolarias — G. North. The Calceolarias will do 
very well on the border facing east. They will not 
get too much sun there, and they seem to like a shady 
place. C. Golden Gem is, perhaps, the most useful 
of all, and is very largely grown. C. amplexicaulis 
is good when well grown. It has very large trusses 
of pale yellow flowers, and is much later. You may 
grow both. 
In the situation named the blue African Lily, 
Agapanthus umbellatus, and its white form would do 
very well. The standing them in water would suit 
them capitally. Cannas in pots would also do, and 
even Castor Oil plants. We should not advise ycu 
to try Fuchsias. 
Wallflowers. — Mayflower. Do not delay another 
day in sowing the seed. It would have been better 
had it been in three weeks ago. 
Cocos weddeliana—A plant of this that I have 
had in my sitting room for the last month appears to 
be in a bad way. The edges of the leaves have all 
died off, and on looking at the young leaves in the 
centre, I see that the edges are all tipped in the 
same way. What can I do with it ? Clara C. 
Give it to a friend who has a warm glasshouse to 
take care of for you. This Cocos is not a good 
plant for dwelling rooms, and careful as you may be, 
we fear you will not be able to grow it under such 
conditions. 
Window Boxes. — T. Ennerton : Serviceable and 
handsome window boxes may be made by 
nailing together a few plank=, and fastening sheets 
of virgin cork to the side facing outwards. The 
cork hides all the woodwork and presents a rustic 
appearance, which agrees well with the plants. If 
boxes of greater strength are required the services of 
a carpenter should be requisitioned. Even in such 
a case the expense should not be heavy. 
Rockery. —The situation is too hot and too 
exposed, G. Tarleton, and the plants suffer from the 
heat of the sun and the drought. Plant a few Lom¬ 
bardy Poplars next autumn so as to throw a little 
shade. These grow quickly, and, while they do not 
take up a lot of room or overhang the plants, give the 
shelter required. 
Litter for Strawberries — IF., Reading. We should 
strongly advise you not to use the mowiogs from the 
lawn for littering down the Strawberries, unless you 
would like a grand crop of Daisies which will keep 
you employed rooting them up. Clean straw is the 
best thing to use. Failing this, shake out some of 
the cleanest of the stable litter in the sun, and dry 
and sweeten it well. If the plants are at all dry give 
them a thorough soaking of water before you put the 
litter on. 
Tomato on a Wall — Amateur. Three feet run of 
wall space may certainly be covered by a single 
Tomato plant if you allow the side shoots to develop. 
We should prefer, however, to put in three plants 
instead of one, for you would then get the wall 
covered more quickly, and your yield of fruit would 
be heavier. If you have three plants you must take 
up a single stem only and keep all the laterals 
pinched out. Be careful to distinguish between the 
latter growths and the trusses of flowers. 
