THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 29, 1900. 
class in all stages of growth, occupy suitable houses. 
The first named of these Dracaenas according to Mr. 
Tivey is about as hardy as an Aspidistra. There 
is a splendid collection of the latter, most of which 
are beautifully variegated. Monstera deliciosa was 
also spoken of as being serviceable for house decor¬ 
ation along with Palms and Dracaenas. In front of 
a fireplace during the summer, it answers well. 
Curculago recurvata variegata is not frequently 
met with, yet it is conspicuously ornamental. The 
best and most up to date of the Crotons are at 
Chelsea, some as single stemmed specimens, others 
as well balanced bush plants. The stove Dracaenas 
or Cordylines in such varieties as Exquisite, Ama- 
bilis, Distinction pendula, Doucetii, Jamesii, 
Lindenii Victoria, norwoodiensis, and Prince 
Manouk Bey, with many others, are amongst the 
most brautiful of all exotic foliage plants. Cocos, 
and all kinds of Palms from small Kentias and Rbapis 
in 3-in. and 4-in. pots up to those in large tubs are 
liberally grown and well cared for. 
Nepenthes 
A notice of the Chelsea nursery at Christmas time 
would be incomplete were the Nepenthes omitted. 
The collection is unique, in that it has at least one 
variety not to be seen elsewhere, to wit N. Thisleton- 
Dyer, named after the Director of Kew Gardens. 
N. Tiveyi is also a novelty of the first rank though 
the visitqr at the present time will not see either of 
them bearing pitchers. Their •'heads” are off for 
the plants are desired for increase of stock. The 
other and batter known species including N. mixta, 
N. Burkei and Burkei excelfens ; N. masteriana, N. 
dicksoniana, N. Curtisii superba and the smaller 
N. hookeriana, N. bicalcarata are’all in excellent 
condition. The pitchers on all the plants are well 
formed and well developed, numbering from twenty 
to thirty on each plant. That a collection should 
remain at so high a standard of excellence year after 
year is good proof that a knowledge of their needs 
and unceasing care in supplying their demands, is 
furnished by him who has them under his charge.— 
D. 
FLORIST WINDOW DISPLAYS. 
So much is wtitlen in American and German horticul¬ 
tural trade papers on the art of floral decorating in 
its many branches, and so little enunciated in our 
own, that one would think all the skill and 
enthusiasm lay with I'etraitger. But anyone who has 
made a survey of the larger florists’ shops in London 
must have been agreeably impressed with the fact 
that they at least will compare with the best florists' 
displays in any of the shops in New York Broadway 
or the continental capitals. 
Messrs. Gerard & Co., Ltd., of 178, Regent’s 
Street, London, W., have very extensive windows 
and these are always the centre of a bevy of 
admiring pedestrians. Whether all who gaze can 
afford ti patronise is au open question; but the 
charms of floral beauty, especially when arranged 
with the best taste and skill, over all other classes of 
window displays ex;ept the photographers or mil¬ 
liners, is conclusively proved by the appreciation 
tendered to the florist’s efforts against all others 
except those mentioned. And if it came to a mere 
question of admiration on esthetic points, and these 
alone, the florists' dislays would surely win. 
During recent years—I think it is recent years— 
florists in London and elsewhere have abolished the 
old choke-muddle system of dressing their windows. 
In all the better-class shops the laws of colour- 
contrasts, colour-harmony, light and shade, balance 
and perspective, are put into practice when arranging 
the daily display. Whereas in the small shops the 
presentment is very similar to a nurseryman’s dis¬ 
play of cut flowers at a horticultural exhibition, a 
sort of multum in parvo method, in the first class 
windows every basket, vase 01; design has ample 
freedom and space on all sides. Generally the 
staging is quite beneath the beholder’s eye and a 
dark ground of velvet is frequently used. The floral 
receptacles are of diverse forms and colours. The 
colours are generally of an uncommon shade, rouge, 
bright-wax red, pale green cream, yellow and green, 
&c. Pure white and crimson are also frequent. 
Sometimes the colours are used to harmonise with 
the shades of the flowers they contain ; anon they 
contrast with them. Very light and graceful baskets 
are, of course, much in evidence, and earthenware 
dishes in a few popular shapes such as that of a 
swan with half-expanded wings, codfish with twisted 
bodies and open mouth (in which the flowers are 
inserted), miniature rounded and square tub-like 
conveniences and other designs of a similar graceful 
pattern. Ornamental pedestals are employed for 
placing the baskets upon, and taller examples are set 
further back for the larger masses of flowers. 
While there are always a number of more or less 
elaborate designs as wreaths crosses, hand-muffs 
made of flowers, as well as floral fans, and other 
formal compositions in set places, there are also 
baskets and dishes of Roses, Carnations, Liliums 
and Chrysanthemums, either arranged in artistic 
negligence in profusion by themselves, or inter¬ 
spersed with each other, being further assisted hy 
ribbons and foliage. The reference to ribbons con¬ 
jures up patterns of stuccoed artificiality, but such 
impressions are unfair ; taste is admirably considered. 
Festoons of Smilax fall in long links high up, from 
one side to the other, and are so strung that they 
form a screening canopy high above the floral 
arrangements. So that in our best shops no pains 
or expense are spared to make the window displays 
attractive. Sbme of the very elaborate designs 
have to do service for some days, but the general 
show is recaste as variedly as possible on each 
morning. I spoke of the hind-muffs. These are 
hung from the roof by means of broad soft ribbon. 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, 169, Piccadilly, 
W., bad recently a very pretty muff composed of 
close-set white Chrysanthemums with a loose 
bouquet of Laelias, pink Rose buds and Lily of the 
Valley in front. In the same window was an 
expanded fan. The body of this was composed of 
intensely deep, glowing yellow Chrysanthemums 
made up to present an even surface, and around the 
crescent-edge, where the ribs of the fan projected in 
spoke fashion, small Chrysanthemum buds were 
affixed. This latter feature lent to the fan great 
piquancy and attractiveness. At the lower edge and 
in the centre of the design was a bouquet of pink 
Chrysanthemums, Lily of the Valley and Violets. 
A knot of broad pink ribbon and another of palest 
blue ribbon, below the central bouquet, completed 
a charming design. 
At Mr. E. Goodyear's, of the Royal Arcade, a 
handsome basket cf exceedingly strong Nerine 
sarniensis Planbi, with long stout stalks was lately 
on view. Belo v the Nerines were placed leaves of 
Caladium argyrites and Crotons with also green 
foliage. He also had an effective cross composed of 
red Ampelopsis leaves. Above the conventional 
drapery of gray Siberian Moss and above this sort of 
grounding the various Eucharis and other white 
flowers were set. But though I should like to 
describe a few other designs, I must forbear in the 
meantime, but hope to continue these notes shortly. 
—Harrison D 
-—*«- 
NOTICE OF BOOK. 
The Self-Educator in Botany, by R. S. Wishart, 
M.A , Edited by John Adams, M.A , B.Sc., 
Rector of the Free Church Training College, 
Glasgow. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 27, 
Paternoster Row. 1900. Price 2s. 6d. 
The young man of the present day who wishes to 
study botany has now a choice of many books, by 
different authors, all treated more or less from a 
different point of view, and no doubt calculated by 
the authors as set forth in the easiest and most likely 
way to lead on their readers from point to point till 
the subject gets a firm hold of them. For some 
years past the bulk of the text books, elementary and 
advanced, have dwelt more or less decidedly cn the 
morphology and physiology of plant-’ Both these 
branches of botanical science are sufficiently im¬ 
portant in themselves to merit a considerable amount 
of study, but they have been advocated by their 
teachers with a persistence that has caused system¬ 
atic botany to suffer a great deal of Deglect. The 
truth of this becomes particularly evident when the 
teacher takes his students into the field to study 
the living plants. Morphology and physiology can 
be studied and a fair knowledge of the science 
rapidly acquired either in the class-room or at the 
fireside by daylight or nightlight, and in the course 
of a couple of winters the student stalks abroad 
fully equipped as a teacher. The materials for a 
proper study of the living plants and the natural 
classification of the same, require longer time to 
collect and manipulate, hence many of these botani- 
1 al embryos never reach the stage of being capable 
of tackling any but the more common flowers of the 
field. 
Mr. Wishart’s book is chiefly directed to the 
teaching of systematic botany in all its varied 
details of root, stem, branch, leaf, and flowers; so 
that by the time the student has gone through the 
book he should be able to take up a flora and pro¬ 
ceed to diagnose the plants he meets on every side 
as soon as he reaches the outskirts of city, town, or 
village. Nay further, this text book is intended to 
enable the student to help himself, wherever he may 
be, without the aid of an instructor. There should 
be no difficulty in this provided the would-be student 
is possessed of an ordinary share of intelligence, and 
the faculty of taking pains If he means to follow 
up the study sufficiently to make it of some real use 
he must honestly apply himself to the task and give 
no heed to the frivolous and ephemeral attractions 
that so easily upset the youthful mind and lead it 
away from study. 
The author in his introduction shows how many 
a would-be seeker after information from books is 
•repelled by the pitiless length of the terms used to 
describe the different parts of a plant, and the laby- 
rinthic systems of classification. This is, indeed, 
the pons asinorum upon which many beginners 
stumble, but those possessed of determination can 
get over the difficulty even without such an easy- 
gateway as is here placed before the student, not 
that the mythical royal road to learning is here pre¬ 
sented, but that the uphill path of study has been 
made easy by the explanation of the various terms 
used, and without which one can only talk vaguely, 
unable to explain ourselves to others or comprehend 
their proffered descriptions. Many Greek and Latin 
words, the roots of common botanical terms are ex¬ 
plained so that they should no longer present the 
semblance of dry and meaningless jargon, but be 
pregnant with meaning, suggestive, and obviously 
teeming with ideas. 
The first part of the book deals with germination, 
the root, stem, minute structure of stem and root, 
the leaf, plant life, inferences regarding plant nutri¬ 
tion, the inflorescence, the flower, minute structure 
of the essential organs, conveyance of the pollen 
and its work, and the fruit and seed. The seoond 
part is taken up with systematic classification, finish¬ 
ing up with suggestions for continuing the study. 
The direction or branch which the student may then 
take up will depend upon his individual views or 
taste. 
There are numerous sketches and diagrams of a 
simple kind, inlerwoven with the text and calculated 
to make the descriptions more readily obvious. Most 
of the sketches are evidently new, and though not 
highly artistic productions, may serve their purpose. 
The book runs to 226 pages, but though there is a 
short contents bill, there is no index, which would 
constitute one drawback to it as a work of reference. 
The paper and printing are of first-class quality, 
and the whole bound in cloth boards. Any student 
who is intent upon his work could acquire or master 
the information offered during the winter months, 
and be ready to start with a flora in spring, as the 
flowers commence to open, and follow this up till 
the end of the season. 
TREATMENT OF TEA ROSE LIBERTY. 
Writing to the Florists' Review, E. G. Asmus says of 
the beautiful new Tea Rose Liberty, of which a stock 
is being distributed in our own Isles : —" I plant them 
in good rich loam,or rather sod, mixed with about one- 
third of good old cow manure, giving them at all times 
a lioeral amount of water. Keep all young buds, as 
soon as they are about the size of small peas, well 
nipped out, but be sure, when nipping out the buds, 
to nip them with about two or three leaves, accord¬ 
ing to the thickness of shoots. Liberty is a persis¬ 
tent bloomer, and if you only nip the bud alone it 
will throw other small buds instead of good flowering 
shoots. The consequence is you will not get any 
wood, but only small buds without any stem. By 
nipping them two or three eyes lower, you will avoid 
that and get good flowering wood 
By no means allow your plants to get checked or 
hard. Do not allow them to flower before they have 
obtained a good height, say 3 ft. or 4 ft. or more, 
which you can get only by keeping the buds off 
before the wood gets hard. This I find is the only 
secret in growing Liberty. If my advice on this 
point is strictly followed I do not think anybody 
need have any fear of Liberty not growing. 
