January 13, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
317 
FRANCOA RAMOSA. 
The Bride’s Wreath ! what a beautiful name. Yes, 
and an equally fine plant. For the busy amateur 
who has little time or attention for the plants he 
loves to grow, Francoa ramosa may be added to his 
collection as one not demanding much care. Old 
established plants growing in deep pans or pots 
flower freely when they are well nourished. They 
generally propagate themselves freely by means 
of the seeds which they spread upon the 
stages beneath. Especially is this so when 
coal ashes form the stage covering. They 
also may be increased by cuttings. An ordinary 
greenhouse temperature suits them, and the treat¬ 
ment acceptable to Geraniums is also to their 
liking. 
STRELITZ 1 A FARINOSA. 
From Nicholson we have it that the generic name 
given above is from that of George III.’s wife^ 
Charlotte of Mecklenburgh-Strelilz. It is so 
strikingly quaint and beautiful, too, it must be said, 
that Bird of Paradise Flower, and Bird’s Tongue 
Flower are names which have been applied to it. 
As a whole it is full of grace. The foliage resembles 
that of some Cannas, only the leaf-stalks are longer, 
and other differences are readily apparent. The 
flower spikes, but more particularly the manner in 
which the inflorescence expands and is held forth, 
add a peculiar piquancy to the plant. The above 
variety is rather slenderer than S. Regina, partaking 
more of the habit of S. R. prolifera. It flowers in 
February, the scape being purple and yellow. A 
sandy loam, two parts to one of peat and leaf- 
mould, and a little sand added suits them for a com¬ 
post. They must have a liberal supply of water in 
summer, with some feeding before flowering time. 
They are propagated by division and by suckers. 
An intermediate or warm house is what they desire 
as regards temperature. A plant of it in the Mexi¬ 
can division of the temperate house, at Kew, is now 
throwing up its flower scapes. 
CORDYLINE AUSTRALIS VARIEGATA. 
For sub-tropical effects in our now very mild 
summers, many plants not much employed might be 
more heartily adopted. There is no doubt a deal of 
yearly sacrifice in the places where sub-tropical 
gardening is carried out on a magnificent scale. It 
also necessitates some “ nerve " on the part of those 
gardeners who carry fine effect to an elaborate 
extent. And why not ? Of course, if a gardener 
has not the means to bouse and rear, many of the 
annuals which give us our summer decorations 
cannot be grown. Such subjects, however, as the 
Cordylines, though they take up space for a con¬ 
siderable part of their early careers, may be con¬ 
veniently hustled into odd corners when once they 
have developed long, bare stems. When such a 
state of being does exist, each year but adds to their 
usefulness and fitness for the purpose of sub-tropical 
employment. Very tall Cordylines can be placed in 
the centre of the Palm beds, and when entwined 
with the variegaated Hop or with the yellow flower¬ 
ing Canary-Creeper, Tropaeolum speciosum, Honey¬ 
suckle, or other quick growing and convenient 
plants, a very fine jungle picture emanates. The 
effect of such tropical beds, where Bamboos, Palms, 
and Cordylines, &c., are unitedly used is more 
realistic, if not so smart, at the end, rather than at 
the beginning of the season .—A S. 
NERTERA DEPRESSA. 
The coral plant makes a pretty little edging speci¬ 
men for temperate and cool houses. The numerous 
cochineal or orange-red berries studded over the 
moss-like surface gives it great charm. Moisture 
and an undisturbed growth are asked for by this 
plant. 
HELIOPHILA SCANDENS. 
In this we have a climbing Crucifer, whose long 
shoots at present are one mass of small white flowers. 
A cool temperature suits it well. The blooms are 
not fragrant, a quality which would have added 
much to its merits. As we have very few cool house 
climbers in flower at this season it might make a 
welcome addition to our list. 
THE DOG ROSE. 
The varieties of Rosa canina are innumerable. 
The common R. canina, or Dog Rose of our British 
copes and hedges, is the species referred to, and for 
the purpose of advocating its far more extended use 
when planting up grounds. At the dullest season of 
the year its large, arching shoots, beautiful in them¬ 
selves, are laden with the great scarlet “ hips ” or 
fruits. The nakedness of the stems, and the rugged 
manner in which these are borne, appeal to any 
one’s sense of beauty, and to those of artistic per¬ 
ception they are the loveliest of the lovely shrubs or 
hardy plants then in season. 
ROSA RUGOSA. 
This Japanese Rose is also a pretty, hardy plant 
for the border, or for massing in well poised beds. 
It lacks the grace and rusticity which belongs to R. 
canina, having more of the budge-I-shan’t character 
about it. Its sturdy dwarfness is a marked part of 
its disposition. 
SWEET WILLIAMS. 
These fine old-fashioned flowering plants, whose 
peculiarly pleasing fragrance wafts from so many of 
our farmsteads, where they seem to be general 
favourites, ought not to be forgotten at the time of 
the making-up of the year’s seed order. They 
cause no trouble. 
THE GIANT CHRISTMAS ROSE. 
Like the other Christmas Roses, this, the great or 
giant Christmas Rose opens almost as a pure white 
under a frame. The leaves are very large, and 
the flowers naturally are borne profusely. Once 
in three or four years lift and replant it. Division 
may also at these times be done. The Christmas 
Roses all require a rich soil. 
DEUTZIA GRACILIS. 
It may well be asked why gardeners allow old plants 
to become fogged up ; why do not hold to an annual, 
or at least to pruning every alternate year. Health¬ 
ier plants, and more beautiful specimens are thus 
got. It is well enough known of course that old 
plants produce loads of blooms, still it is also well to 
have fresh looking graceful plants in place of closely 
packed besom-like samples.— D. 
AZALEA DEUTSCHE PERLE. 
For a very long period this variety, the German 
White, has been one of the most popular varieties. 
It remains so still. So long as it can be so easily 
forced, and provide such lovely white blooms, it will 
hold that popularity. We require it. Wreaths, and 
most of our floral work, for six months every year, 
contain blooms of it, and would be the poorer from 
the absence of them. 
---*{•- 
SOCIETIES. 
Orchids and Primulas were the most conspicuous 
features of the meeting on Tuesday last, which was 
not a large one, though an improvement upon the 
last meeting of December. 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, 
Enfield, had a group of Orchids, amongst which 
three plants of Cymbidium traceyanum, and two of 
Cycnoches chlorochilon were very fine. The first 
named is distinctly scented. They had the pretty 
Cypripedium insigne Laura Kimball, under a bell- 
glass. Laelia gouldiana, and a white variety of 
Dendrobium nobile, were also notable. (Silver 
Banksian Medal.) 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, 
exhibited a group of Cypripediums, conspicuous 
amongst which were: C. nitens superbum, C. 
insigne Maulei, C. i. fosterianum, C. leeanum 
superbum, C. calophyllum, C. Sallieri aurem, and 
various others. They were set up with Palms and 
Ferns. 
R. W. Richards, Esq ,The Priory,Usk (Mon.),had a 
small but pretty group of Odontoglossums, including 
Oiontoglossum Rossii, Usk Priory var., O. crispum, 
Oncidium Forbesi, Cypripedium insigne, Usk Priory 
var., and others. (Silver Banksian Medal.) 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. 
White), Burford Lodge, Dorking, exhibited a group 
of very interesting Orchids, including Calanthe 
porphyrea, Mormcdes buccinator Rolfei, M. b. 
Warscewiczii, Platycliois uncinata,Calanthe Phoebe, 
C. revertens splendens, aDd the old Limatodes rosea, 
which has been so useful for hybridising purposes. 
A number of these Orchids are uncommon and 
special in their way, as well as being showy. 
Sir F. Wigan, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. Youd§), 
Clare Lawn, East Sheen, exhibited a fine group of 
Phalaenopsis, including a magnificent plant of P. 
schilleriana, with massive leaves and large panicles 
of flowers. The plant has been in the collection for 
the last sixteen years. He also had a grand piece of 
Cypripedium rothschildianuro, carrying three open, 
and one half open flower. Other forms of Pbalaen- 
opsis were P. sanderiana Wigan's var., P. amabilis, 
P. stuartiana, P. casta, P. grandiflora, P. leucor- 
rhoda, and quantities of the ordinary P. schilleriana 
in variety. Very fine also were the new Zygocolax 
woodlandsense, and Z wigaDiana (Z. intermedium X 
Colax jugosus). Altogether the group was a fine 
one, and highly interesting at this season of the 
year. (Silver Flora Medal). 
On the table for new plants was a grand plant of 
Cypripedium bellatulum from R. W. Richards, Esq , 
for which a Cultural Commendation was awarded. 
M. L Linden, of L’Horticole Coloniale, Brussels, 
exhibited a grandly grown piece of Cypripedium 
lawrenceanum var. splendens,C. gowerianum formo 
sum ; also Odontoglossum Adrianae ornatum and O. 
crispum Papillon, all of which were very fine in their 
way. 
Mr. Ed. Kromer, Roraima Nursery, Bandon Hill, 
West CroydoD, staged Brassavola grandiflora. Sir 
W. Marriott, Bart, (gardener, S. Denny), The Down 
House, Blandford, showed Sophrolaelia marriotiiana, 
rich scarlet overlying yellow. T. W. Swineburne, 
Esq , J.P., Corndean Hall, Winchcombe, Gloster, 
exhibited Laelia jongheana. J.T. Bennett Pee (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Downes), Holmwood, Cheshunt, showed 
a plant of the beautiful and new Dendrobium specta- 
bile. Messrs. Heath & Sons, Cheltenham, ex¬ 
hibited Cypripedium leeanum superbum and C. 1 . 
viride. G. W. Law-Schoffield, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
E. Shill), New-Hall-Hey, Rawtenstall,staged Cypti- 
pedium leeanum rubrum and C. 1 . grandisepalum, 
the latter of which had the lower sepal nearly as 
large as the upper, and nearly the same colour 
Cypripedium Euryades and C. godseffianum x hir- 
sutissimum were shown by Cap. Holford (gardener, 
Mr. Chapman), Westonbirt, Tetbury. W. M. 
Appleton, Esq, Tyn-y-Code, Weston-super-Mare, 
exhibited C. apiculatum striatum. Mr. James 
Douglas, Edenside, Great Bookham, Surrey, showed 
a fine truss of Laelia Briseis. Norman C. Cookson, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. W. M. Murray), Oak«ood, 
Wylam-on-Tyne, showed Calanthe atrorubens. The 
finest new Cypripedium was C. Sir R. Buller, ex¬ 
hibited by W. M. Appleton, E:q Earl Brownlow, 
Ashridge, Berkhamsted (gardener, Mr. R. Lowe), 
showed a large plant of Cypripedium leeanum. 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, the Royal SeedsmeD, 
Reading, filled a table 50 ft. long and 6 ft. or 8 ft. 
broad, with varieties of the Chinese Primrose, 
grown in 5-in. pots. The plants, one and all, were 
extra strong and well flowered, their colours when 
seen in mass being strikingly effective. The sweetest 
varieties were Sutton's Reading Blue, Double While, 
an extra good thing ; Crimson King (Fern-leaved) ; 
The Duchess, a new seedling, having a white edge 
and a rosy centre; Sutton’s Snowdrift, a variety 
most profusely flowered ; the double Scarlet in an 
improved form, which gave great richness in the 
mass. Then there was the Star Primulas, perhaps 
finer than the Chinese species for decoration, cer¬ 
tainly they are more graceful. The Papilio Cycla¬ 
mens, though now on the wane, were very floriferous 
and pretty. Sutton's Salmon Queen (of the Persi- 
cum type) was very distinct and took our regard in 
an especial manner. Small Kentias, Cocos and an 
edging of Pteris finished off a table, most valuable 
at this time. (Silver Flora Medal.) 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Ltd., the Royal 
Nurseries, Chelsea, showed that their Javanico- 
jasminiflorum Rhododendrons are thoroughly fog- 
resistant. What they attain to in the pure air of the 
country we do not imagine, but certain it is that 
under the most uncongenial conditions they return 
a wealth of brilliance, pure colour and sweetness. 
Mr. H. J. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Lewisham, 
showed a couple of sports from Etoile de Lyon 
Chrysanthemum. One represented a yellow variety, 
the other a bronze, named Mrs. Alfred Tait. Coming 
in for use as they did at this time these varieties, 
which are large, strong, and brilliant, should be 
much appreciated. 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, En- 
