376 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 9, 1901. 
||ints for 
mateurs. 
Bulbous Irises.—The sweet little Irises which 
flower thus early in the year, are chiefly, or all, bulb¬ 
ous Irises. It is well in the first place to note that 
they are bulbous, not rhizomatous as are the various 
kinds of Flag Irises. The flowering season of these 
bulbous Irises is quite a long one, beginning as they 
do (especially if they are grown in pots for the 
alpine house) in December, and continuing till April. 
Of course the smaller species in flower at the present 
time in the rock gardens and hardy plant borders, 
do not last quite so long, but the English and Span¬ 
ish Irises come into flower about April, and are at 
their best about the third week in May, these being 
also bulbous. When seen at their best the smaller 
bulbous Irises, like I. bakeriana, I. Danfordiae, I. 
sindjarensis, and I. reticulata, must be pronounced 
as excellent and exceedingly beautiful little hardy 
plants. Their flowers, or rather the flowers of the 
various species, are either white, or blue, or yellow, 
heliotrope, plum, or mauve—indeed, they yield quite 
a varied choice. Moreover, they are as a rule vigor¬ 
ous and free flowering, although in some soils and in 
some situations ^Sey require much care and repeated 
trials before they become thoroughly established. 
After they once make a start, however, they seem to 
go ahead in vigour proportionate to their previous 
tardiness. 
Amongst the earliest flowering species are those I 
have already named, together with I. reticulata var. 
Krelagei, I. persica, I. histrioides, I. Heldreichii, 
and I. lusitanica. 
As a rule, a good sandy loam suits all the true 
bulbous species, while the tuberous-rooted kinds 
enjoy a soil with an appreciable quantity of humus 
or humic matter, such as peat, leaf mould, or a little 
rotten dung. All of the species that I have named 
are largely grown in pots. 
Chrysanthemums.—For some weeks I have said 
nothing about Chrysanthemums. They are at a 
very particular stage in their yearly cycle, and 
ought to be well tended. In the early stages potting 
should not be neglected, but the chief fact to be 
borne in mind is to encourage and maintain a steady 
growth The plants should be placed on shelves in 
a greenhouse or other cool structure where they can 
receive a plentiful supply of light. The first potting 
from the cutting boxes into the “ thumbs ” or 3-in. 
pots should be made so soon as the cuttings are 
strongly rooted. A large number of the plants will, 
of course, have been potted off some time ago. They 
should be dewed over once a day, that is about mid¬ 
day. Pinch out any lateral shoots that may be 
appearing, and take pains to secure a good leading 
shoot. Old stools may be shaken out and repotted 
if the stock of any special variety is limited. 
Roses.—Planting can still be performed so long as 
open weather continues. Stop all operations in this 
connection if severe frost is experienced. The 
China or Monthly Roses can at all times have some 
suitable bed or corner sought out for them. These 
and the climbing varieties of Roses, not forgettiag 
the Teas and hybrid Teas, ought to be planted 
more liberally in every garden. There is plenty of 
space for them. Pruning of many kinds may soon 
be done. 
Conifers.—These represent a section of trees 
whose too frequent use in grounds has been often 
pointed out by those gardeners who are striving to 
nave our gardens all lightness and colour. It is a 
fact that far too many gardens, or parts of our 
gardens are very dull, chiefly because there are a 
preponderance of Conifers, usually all of the darkest 
sorts. While I should like to see the bright leaved 
and meritorious flowering shrubs ten times more 
liberally planted, yet I should be sorry to think that 
such fine Conifers as Abies grandis, A. Pinsapo, A. 
nordmanniana, A concolor, and many other dwarfer 
kinds of Conifers, would be ousted, or even less 
numerously planted. There is room for all the best 
subjects: it is the grouping, the placing, and the 
general treatment of them that is so often at fault. 
Present Work.^— Sowings of vegetable seeds under 
glass will demand the active attention of all, at this 
time. Should hard weather stop outside operations, 
there will be sufficient work in tine houses in potting, 
plant cleaning, washing and painting houses, or in 
the sheds in preparing besoms, labels, cleaning 
machines, and general preparations for the early 
spring work. 
NOTES ON NARCISSI. 
The flowering season of the beautiful Narcissi 
extends over a period of nearly six months by the 
efforts of roan in co-operation with Nature. The 
earliest flowers from abroad, or from home-grown 
forced bulbs, begin to make their appearance early in 
December, and till the middle of April the supply 
steadily increases; then declines with the same 
month. The object in writing of the Narcissi at 
this time, is to bring our minds into form for taking 
notice of, and learning something about so highly 
specialised a genus of hardy plants as this is. 
During the last few months Mr. Peter Barr, V.M.H. f 
has kept the thoughts of gardeners, both in our own 
dear land, and in the kinship lands of Australia and 
the United States, fresh for the sleeping Daffodils 
and Narcissi; and has more than ever won for him¬ 
self the well-known title of "Daffodil King. 1 ’ All 
that he has done need not be repeated, but it should 
be borne in mind how that he, a man over seventy 
years of age, has written papers and discoursed on 
the culture and uses of this genus in every town and 
city in which he has stayed during his lately con¬ 
cluded New Zealand and Australian tour. 
To consider for a moment the special classification 
of the genus Narcissus it may be explained that 
Daffodils are, of course, Narcissi (Narcissi being the 
plural of Narcissus), though all Narcissi are not 
Daffodils. We may leave the paradox for the nonce, 
and we will see what this more fully means. 
The Narcissi are classed by systematists in the 
Amaryllis order (Amaryllideae) to which also belong 
the Snowdrops, Zephyranthes, Crinums, Day Lilies, 
Pancratiums and a great many different bulbous 
plants. However, that is nothing much to the point. 
I notice in a new book on hardy plants just recently 
published, that the author starts by dividing the 
Narcissi into two main groups: (1) with one flower 
on a stalk ; and (2) those with more than one flower 
on a stalk. 
There are three main groups of Narcissi, classified 
according to the length of the trumpets. Tnese 
three groups are: 1, Magni-coronati, type the com¬ 
mon wild Daffodil; 2, Medio coronati, type N. 
iocomparabilis ; 3, Parvi-coronati, type the common 
jonquil or the Pheasant’s-Eye Narciss. Under 
these three divisions all Narcissi can be arranged, 
fhe first group commonly receives the name of the 
large Trumpet Daffodils, the second group forms the 
medium-cupped Daffodils, and then the third group 
are the small-cupped or true Narcissi. Thus we see 
that the true Daffodils are all those varieties with 
large or medium-sized trumpets, while the members 
of the Pheasaot's-Eye section with little or no 
trumpet, are never called Daffodils Dut simply Nar¬ 
cissi. The large trumpet section of Narcissi are all 
easy to classify, but the other two groups are some¬ 
what strictly sub divided, which sub-divisions, how¬ 
ever, need no detail at this time It may be noticed 
that the commonly called " Eggs and Bacon,” 
" Butter and Eggs ” and " Codhns and Cream ” 
belong to the second group or medium-cupped 
Daffodils—the double incomparabilis. 
I will not go further in delineating the artificial 
arrangement of the genus Narcissus, because until 
there is a supply of flowers in the gardens through¬ 
out the land, a great deal of the practical value and 
interest would be awanting. Perhaps enough has 
been written, however, to interest some of the 
readers of •' Hints,” and to cause them to notice the 
various krods of Narcissi as they appear during the 
coming season. By knowing even a little of the 
classification of genera, it is easier to recall the 
names and characters of the members of them. 
Nearly all the Narcissi at present in the market are 
either double Romans (white with a yellow cup), 
the Paper White, and other sorts of the Poly¬ 
anthus or bunch-flowered Narcissi, all of which are 
varieties of one original species, N. Tazetta. A few 
of the commoner trumpet and medium-cupped 
Daffodils are also on sale, and in our conservatories. 
The following is a summary :— 
Narcissus. 
Daffodils. 
Group I. 
Magni — 
(Type) 
Common Daffodil. 
Group II. 
It ledio — 
(Type) 
N. incomparabilis. 
(Syrn., Ajax or Trum- (Syns., Medium-cup- 
pet Daffodils). ped, Chalice-cupped 
or Star Narcissi). 
Group III. 
Parvi coronati. 
(Type) 
Pbeasant's-Eye. 
(Syns., Small-Cup- 
ed or True Nar¬ 
cissi). 
— Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be an:wered on this page. 
Anyone 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. 
Selection of Rhododendrons for Spring Planting. 
— R. T. : The following are very choice and, indeed, 
are the finest you can get: Pink, Concessum, 
Ingramii, C. Walsh, Lady Eleanor Cathcart, Minnie, 
and Mrs. Holford, which is a rosy crimson ; Mrs. 
Tom Agnew, white with orange throat; Perspicuum, 
white tinged with lavender; Princess of Wales, rosy ; 
Nero, bright purple; F. B. Hayes; Beanty of 
Bagshot, white; J. Penn, salmon-pink; roseum 
elegans, H. W. Sargent, crimson ; and Pink Pearl, 
one of the choicest of all hardy Rhododendrons, and 
of a pretty pink shade. These we have seen in the 
collection of Mr. John Waterer & Sons, Ltd., 
Bagshot, Surrey. 
Cultural treatment of Ericas and Epacris.— 
H. T. : The present and for two or three months to 
come, is the chief flowering period of the South 
African Ericas and Australian Epacrises. It has 
been well said that the way the watering of these 
hardwooded plants is performed may mean the 
making or the ruining of them. But a very great 
deal depends on the way in which they are potted. 
They must be potted firmly and evenly. Good, 
fibrous peat broken into lumps the size of Chestnuts 
and having the addition of J part of equally fibrous 
loam and J part of coarse silver sand, should be used 
as a compost. Never subject them to a close, stuffy 
atmosphere, but at all times furnish as much fresh 
air as the weather and other conditions will allow, 
A temperature of from 40° to 50 0 is sufficient. When 
Ericas and Epacris have done flowering prune them 
back to hard but vital wood, at least all except the 
weaker kinds. In summer they may be plunged in 
ash beds out of doors open to all the sunshine. 
Established,late flowering sorts are usually potted in 
autumD, and youog plants on the other hand are 
shifted when new growth starts in spring. Young 
plants should not be pot bound before being shifted. 
The culture on the whole demands a great deal of 
care and some special knowledge. For fuller hints 
you should refer to a good standard work, such as 
•• Thompson’s Gardeners’ Assistant,” or others. 
Pegging Down Roses.— J. S.: If your H.P.'s are 
very strong it would certainly be wrong practice to 
cut them hard back and, as you suggest, the better 
plan would be to shorten back the points of the 
shoots and to peg them dovn horizontally. When 
pegged down they should be within 1 It. of the 
ground. They will then throw up lateral shoots upon 
which the flowers will appear. Do not prune any of 
your H.P.’s very hard if the shoots are long and 
strong, unless large blooms are desired in place of a 
profusion of them. 
Moss on Lawn.— L.: The lawn mayjbe damp, in 
which case drain it; or it may require to be enriched 
by a top-dressing of fine soil. Rake out as much of 
the moss as you can. 
Manuring Roses.— L. F .: In the meantime you 
could heavily mulch the border especially around the 
stools of the plants. The rains will wash out the 
liquid proportion of the manure (farmyard dung 
being used) which will benefit the Roses. In the 
month of April you could remove the roughest of 
the manure—the straw and undecomposed portion— 
forking in what remains. Pig dung has always been 
held up as being specially beneficial fDr the growth 
of Roses. This should be forked into the border in 
spring. Night soil is also good. Cow, horse and 
sheep dung mixed may be applied with benefit. 
Amongst artificial fertilisers superphosphate of lime, 
bone meal and sulphate of ammonia could be 
applied at the rate of 3 oz. or 4 oz. per sq. yd., or, 
perhaps, the safest and best way would be to use 
these fertilisers in the form of liquid applications, at 
the rate of a teaspoonful to the gallon of water. 
These should be watered-in during dry weather but 
it will require much judgment to use them 
judiciously. Their too liberal use will cause sappy 
growth, destitute of flowers. 
Pruning of Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora. 
—Admirer: For the production of very large trusses, 
