August iO, 1901. 
the gardening world. 
803 
Lindeni figured conspicuously. There was also a 
good healthy and clean batch of Clerodendron fallax 
and many other useful decorative plants. 
Adjoining this house was the Codiaeum house, 
which, after the past few weeks of bright weather, 
was a brilliant mass of colour, and plants from tiny 
table samples to show specimens were to be seen all 
with full leafage. 
We next had the pleasure of going through the 
extensive ranges of vineries where good crops were 
found hanging. Madresfield Court and Muscat of 
Alexandria were carrying immense bunches, 
many of which would make a sensation on the show 
board. The Vines are the picture of health and 
show with what care and skill they are attended. In 
Some well-made frames we were shown some very 
fine batches of those two well-known Begonias, 
Gloire de Lorraine and Gloire de Sceaux, which will 
doubtless make a good show during the dull winter 
months. In other store houses, &c., we noticed 
batches of Tuberoses, Gloxinias, Begonias, Kalos- 
anthes, and several other useful plants. 
On our way to the conservatory we passed through 
the orchard where the trees were laden with fruit, 
early Apples especially, On the borders of the 
walks are Carnations, which make a good source of 
cu): bloom. The walks are spanned at intervals with 
arches, over which the graceful Clematis and the 
popular Crimson Rambler are clustering in wild 
profusion. 
The conservatory is a most delightful place, being 
arranged on the rockwork principle, and being filled 
almost entirely with green foliaged plants it made a 
welcome retreat from the blaze of the sun. The 
arrangement was most artistic, and nowhere can the 
slightest trace of formality be found. By a skilful 
arrangement of mirrors in recesses and in the panels 
of the doors one is led to believe that they can go 
on into another part of the building. The effect 
obtained by this arrangement is very unique, and so 
well are they arranged that the most observant are 
almost bound to be deceived. 
Leading out from this is another part of the con¬ 
servatory which opens into the ballroom. This is 
more formal, being arranged with statuary and 
bright batches of flowering plants. Marble is the 
predominant substance used in its construction, 
and altogether it is a most magnificent place. 
Bedding is carried out extensively and looked very 
bright and gay at the time of our visit. On our way 
back we passed regiments of Chrysanthemums, many 
of which are being grown on the bush system, which 
is much more artistic than the great mops which 
some call beautiful. Near by the Chrysanthemums 
was a large border devoted to Salvia splendens, 
Solanums, &c .; and to judge by the quantity grown, 
Mr. Farr finds them a very useful class of plants. 
After a pleasant ramble in this delightful spot we 
took leave of Mr. Farr and his staff, and again 
mounted the top of an electric car to meditate and 
reflect on the pleasant scenes of the afternoon. 
DUTCH BULB CULTURE. 
Like the pipe, the cultivation of bulbs seems to be 
inseparably connected with the Dutch race. At one 
time fabulous sums were realised for some of their 
productions, for there are records of single Tulip 
bulbs being sold for £1,300 in the 17th century. 
Another record gives an account of an English 
traveller having to pay £400 damages for injuring a 
bulb of a Tulip named Admiral von der Eyck. 
Although the prices are not so high now as they 
were when the Tulip mania was rife, the cultivation 
of bulbs is still one of the chief industries of 
Holland. 
Holland is an ideal place for bulb growing; its 
soil is exceptionally light, but unlike many other 
light soils, it is very fertile and always moist, and 
the atmosphere is generally humid. 
There are several spots in the British Isles where 
the same conditions may be obtained, and although 
we have allowed centuries to pass without growing 
our own bulbs on a large scale there are now several 
extensive bulb farms in our fen districts and in 
Ireland ; and to all appearances the industry seems 
one which is likely to bring in big returns. 
Holland was not naturally a country adapted to 
bulb culture, as at one time it was little more than a 
huge bog. By patience and skill the morass has 
been reclaimed and now the scientifically irrigated 
fields siand as a striking monument of what can be 
done in the way of draining land. The farms are all 
cut up into small sections by canals which are 
utilised for transport instead of roads, and as the 
water in the subsoil rises to the level of that in the 
canals it keeps the soil continually moist. 
Although the cultural details are very simple they 
require a large amount of labour to carry them out 
properly, and the simple, homely Dutchman works 
on almost from dawn till dark. 
There is one thing that we envy the Dutch bulb 
grower for at the present time, and that is that he is 
free from the smoke, heat, dust, and the taint of 
factories which make life in big towns almost un¬ 
bearable ; and a Dutch bulb catalogue only helps to 
emphasise these annoyances by picturing at numerous 
intervals figures of cool-looking breezy fields sur¬ 
rounded ard intersected in every direction with 
cooling streaks of water. The bulb grower makes no 
secret of his craft, but is rather proud to point out 
the various little devices which whenadded up count 
success. 
The most interesting process in the life history of 
the bulb is the method by which it is propagated. 
It is a long and tedious process and requires much 
care and patience, as the young bulbs seldom flower 
until they are five years old. To get a large quan¬ 
tity of young bulbs the fattest of the old ones have 
the centre part, where the roots are, cut away, and 
the bulbs left in the sun. From the cut surface 
about a score or more of tiny bulbs are formed at 
the expense of the old one. These are taken off, 
carefully tendered, and transplanted every year 
until fit for the market; so some idea of the amount 
of labour required may be gathered.—if. G. 
-- 1 - 
A SIX-FLOWERED SWEET PEA. 
As far as we are aware no more than four flowers on 
a stalk of a Sweet Pea were actually shown at the 
exhibition of the Sweet Pea Society at the Royal 
Aquarium on the 25th and 26th ult., but there was 
a considerable amount of conversation about a 
greater number. We bad reliable information about 
a variety that produced nine flowers on a stalk. The 
normal number is two, but three and four are 
common on vigorously grown specimens of certain 
varieties. A photograph (here reproduced) showing 
six flowers on a stalk was handed us by Henry W. 
Squire, Esq., Hythecote, 62, Drakefell Road, Nun- 
head, S.E. A curious point about these prolific or 
multiple Sweet Peas is that the flower stalk is forked 
bearing an equal or unequal number of flowers on 
the two branches. The nine-flowered sample had 
five flowers on one branch and four on the other. 
Two of the flowers were removed, but the others 
were allowed to produce seed which is being saved 
for reproduction. Mr. Squire’s specimen, as may be 
seen from the reproduction, carries three flowers on 
each branch. Some explain the phenomenon as a 
freak, and others as a case of fasciation of two 
flower stalks; but if so the union is wonderfully 
perfect. As may be expected, Sweet Pea lovers will 
be curious to know what will result from the 
seedlings, and whether it may be possible to fix the 
peculiarity. The experiment is certainly worth 
trying ; and we hope that something important will 
result from it. 
THE ROCK GARDEN. 
PLANTS IN FLOWER. 
Potentilla ambigua. 
This rosaceous plaDt, with its bright yellow flowers 
resembling a Buttercup, make the tyro botanist 
wonder why it should not belong to that genus. The 
essential difference lies in the insertion of the 
stamens, and those concerned will remember the 
differences best by consulting their flora. The habit 
of the plant strongly recalls P. tridentata, but the 
flower is larger and richer in colour. The trailing 
or creeping stems form a dense mass, completely 
hidden by the dark green, three-toothed leaves, and 
these characters make the plant an apt subject for 
creeping down over the ledges of the rockery. The 
stems do not ramble, either very fast or far, so that 
there is no danger of the plant overrunning its 
neighbours. The tufts or patches may be increased 
in spring by the removal of rooted pieces, or cut¬ 
tings may be taken now and dibbled into sandy soil 
in pots and placed in a frame to be shaded during 
the heat of the day. 
Campanula carpatica pelYiformis. 
Only one other variety of C. carpatica, probably, has 
so expanded a flower as the subject of this note. 
The flowers are pale lilac, very delicate in tint, to be 
sure, but for that reason and on account of the shape 
of the flower, the variety is most deserving of culti¬ 
vation on account of the contrast it furnishes with 
others. The blooms are held boldly above the plant 
and are spread out like a saucer. Planted out in 
rich, friable and fairly moist soil the variety forms 
dense cushions of roots and stems, which, when 
carefully divided in spring just as growth is com¬ 
mencing, will supply the cultivator with all the 
plants he can possibly desire for a private establish¬ 
ment. 
Linum flavum. 
This perennial species of Flax was introduced 
