804 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 10, 1901 
from Continental Europe to this country in 1793. 
that is, over a century ago, yet it is by no means so 
common as its beauty would warrant. The terminal 
corymb of bright yellow flowers is strikingly distinct 
from so many other perennial species whose pre¬ 
vailing colour is some shade of blue. L. arboreum 
is also a yellow flowered type, but that under notice 
is taller, being about 12 in. high under ordinary 
conditions of cultivation. The spathulate leaves 
are broader, and altogether different from the blue- 
flowered types, which neutralises the idea of the 
casual observer that one is merely cultivating the 
ordinary Flax of field culture. Take cuttings of the 
flowerless shoots getting firm at the base and in¬ 
sert them in very sandy soil in pots placed in a frame 
or under a hand-light. 
Helenium autumnale pumilum. 
Though not to be regarded either as a scarce or 
choice plant, this is nevertheless so conspicuous and 
telling when a large clump of it is grown upon the 
rockery, that (unless space is limited) it should have 
a prominent position on the rockery. About 9 in. is 
its usual height when not grown in too rich or too 
moist soil, or under shade. Indeed, the dwarf habit 
of the plant is one of its chief recommendations for 
the rockery, the large golden yellow flower-heads 
being most effective when grown in exposure on 
dwarf stems. Propagation is easily effected by divi¬ 
sion in spring or by cuttings, when they can be had, 
at the present time. 
Saxifraga aizoides. 
Those who have a rill or stream running through their 
rock garden, or even a dripping well, should plant 
this mountain Saxifrage within the influence of the 
moisture in a rather peaty soil. It loves the moisture, 
being a native of the banks of mountain streams or 
moist places where there is just sufficient moisture 
to be always trickling through the native vegetation, 
or over the rocks or gravel of the bed of the moun¬ 
tain rills. Those who plant it on the sunny slopes 
of their rockery are only courting failure as the 
foliage gets burnt up in summer on account of the 
drought and heat. When supplied with moisture as 
indicated the barren stems keep on growing or take 
a second growth and flower a second time, or, indeed, 
keep up a succession of bloom till the end of 
September. Failing these conveniences the cultiva¬ 
tor should plant it in a cool peat bed at the base of 
the rockery, and kept continually moist by some 
means or other all through the heat of summer. 
Treated thus it will flower well, and the yellow, 
spotted flowers with their orange coloured anthers 
and the dwarf habit of the plant combine to make 
this one of the most interesting, as it is one of the 
least common of the cultivated species. It is a 
native of the mountains and rocks of the northern 
half of Britain. 
Scutellaria hirta. 
The leaves of this species of skull-cap are small, 
roundly heart-shaped and gray. In conformity with 
the habit of the plant in living upon rocks the stems 
are dwarf, not exceeding 3 in. or 4 in., and in this 
respect resembles our native bog species the Lesser 
Skull-cap (S. minor). It is a native of Greece and 
the Islands of Crete and Cyprus, and is rare in cul¬ 
tivation, the fact being unaccountable when its 
beauty and neatness are considered. S. rupestris 
seems to be the more common name for it in culti¬ 
vation. The flowers are white, except the upper lip 
which is purple. They are freely produced on a 
neat plant of tufted habit. 
Anagallis tenella. 
The Bog Pimpernel is one of the dwarfest subjects 
grown when cultivated in a sunny and fully exposed 
position, as it may not exceed an inch in height. If 
somewhat shaded by other plants the slender stems 
may get slightly drawn and run to 2 in. or 3 in at 
most. The flowers of the more common form of the 
plant are pink with rosy veins, but darker varieties 
in cultivation have rosy purple flowers that are 
simply charming when seen in good form The 
slender, barren stems creep closely over the ground 
into which they root, but the short, flowering 
branches are erect. The cultivator who would 
succeed, if not actually making a bog bed for it, 
should plant it in a peaty soil in as cool and moist a 
position as he can command in his rock garden. 
Shade should not be permitted, where a sufficiency 
of moisture can be insured during the warmer 
summer months, Every little bit of stem with a 
root or two will grow and rootless Dieces may 
easily be rooted in pots or pans in a cold ftame. 
Campanula caespitosa. 
A decade ago and longer certain Campanulas were 
grown under the name of Campanula pumila, C. p. 
alba, C. pusilla, and C. p. alba. Then it was 
divulged that these two so called specific forms were 
only one, and that the proper name was C. pusilla. 
The Index Kewensis refers both names to C. caespi¬ 
tosa, the tufted Bellflower. In a general way the 
forms known in gardens as C. pumila and C. pusilla 
may represent only one species, but they are readily 
recognisable as distinct forms when cultivated. C. 
pumila and C. p. alba are stronger growers with 
more leafy stems and larger flowers of better sub¬ 
stance than those of C. pusilla. As growing upon 
the rockery these differences are more readily and 
easily discernible than when imperfect pieces are 
cut and shown together, though a keen eye could 
still separate them. Both are easily propagated by 
division of the roots in spring.— Alchemilla. 
WASPS. 
Probably no man is more wrapped up in prejudices 
than the gardener is, and if we say a good word for 
the wasp we are sure to be showered with a storm of 
abuse. Bees he will speak of with approbation but 
wasps in his eyes are lazy, ill-tempered and the 
most vindictive of insects, It is very easy to see 
why he dislikes them, because they destroy his crops 
of fruit. We will own that they are destructive, but 
somehow this one fault does not satisfy some men, 
and they go on pouring all the anathemas they can 
think of on the object of their ire. 
We will leave out their elegant appearance as that 
is not through their own handiwork. A more 
industrious and sagacious insect is difficult to find. 
They are very clever potters, manufacturing vessels 
of various patterns in which to keep their young. 
The pottery ware they glaze with their own saliva, 
and no matter under what conditions the nest is 
situated it is always not only waterproof but damp 
proof. They discovered the art of paper-making 
long before the Chinese, and used wood in its con¬ 
struction ages before our manufacturers thought of 
it. The class of paper which they produce varies 
from the finest tissue to the heaviest cardboard. 
Long before we human beings became acquainted 
with the use of paper as a conserver of heat by 
using it as part of our clothing, these sagacious 
insects had found out its good qualities and lined 
their homes with it to keep up a regular temperature. 
They are skilful anatomists, as may be seen by the 
deadly accuracy with which they pierce the nerve 
centres of their prey. 
Dr. Sharpe, who has been a careful observer of 
their habits, states that they will often cram their 
cells with caterpillars on which to feed their young, 
and he advocates their encouragement to eradicate 
these pests in the same way that cats are kept to 
keep down mice. This would, perhaps, suit the 
vegetable grower, but the fruit grower would be far 
from contented under such conditions. 
They are most devoted parents and feed their 
young in a very discriminate manner, first giving 
them liquid food and then as they get stronger using 
them to meat diet. They do not kill off their males 
in the same way that the bees do, but let them live 
and make them keep the nest clean. If a piece of 
meat is too heavy for them they quickly cut it into 
sections and take it home piecemeal. They are 
very cautious in their movements and when emerg¬ 
ing from a hole in an Apple they do not come out 
head foremost as most other insects do, but come 
out tad first, showing their formidable sting as 
a means of protection against any enemy outside. 
It seems a cruel process to kill off their young 
towards the end of the year, but this is done to keep 
them from the far worse death by starvation. 
A FINE WEEPING BEECH. 
By the side of the main Guildford Road at the north¬ 
east end of Farnham, Surrey is a fine specimen of 
the weeping Beech (Fagus sylvatica pendula). It 
has evidently been grafted at a height on a level 
with the garden fence behind which it is growing, 
The tree is about 30 ft. high and has a clean trunk 
of considerable height, and about a foot in diameter. 
Good soil, but particularly age, must be held 
accountable for such a massive trunk on a tree one 
seldom sees of any great size when passing through 
the country. The tree is in perfect health and has 
two or three great arching limbs all directed to one 
side in the fashion peculiar to the weeping Beech 
wherever it is met with.— P.C. 
ORNAMENTAL PEACH BLISTER. 
Gardeners look upon Peach Blister with great dis¬ 
favour in their own gardens; but may see the 
matter in another light upon their neighbours’ trees, 
especially if the said blisters assume the bright 
crimson-red colour they have done on some tall 
Almond trees at Caterham. When passing them I 
was attracted by the sight of what appeared to be 
some strange tree bearing brightly-coloured fruits, 
and found an old enemy in a new guise. On Peach 
trees the blisters usually have a pale and mouldy 
appearance, so that the question arises whether the 
taller and more exposed trees may not account for 
the bright colour assumed by the diseased leaves. 
—P.C. 
CLIANTHUS DAMPIERI. 
The Glory Peas were once very popular greenhouse 
plants, but owing to their somewhat difficult manage¬ 
ment they have now become almost plants of the 
past. Grown in pots they were always causing 
anxiety by ill health, &c., and required frequent 
attention as to training and tying. With the present 
day busy gardener they were soon left out of the 
race as too much trouble. The way they are now 
grown at Kew ought to again give a stimulus to 
their cultivation, as with very little trouble they 
have been in bloom there for months. They are 
grown in baskets, and this seems to be the ideal 
method, for they grow freely in them, and as their 
racemes of crimson and black flowers hang over the 
sides in graceful trails they make a most effective 
basket plant. There is one now banging in the front 
of the doorway in the Himalayan House in full 
bloom. It was the admiration of the numerous 
visitors during the Temple Show week and still 
continues to focus the attention of every visitor who 
visits this house. It is an Australian plant and was 
first introduced to British gardens in 1852. Soon 
after its introduction it became quite a craze to 
possess the Glory Pea, and when it is generally 
known how easy it can be managed in baskets hung 
in a dry, airy house, we are sure it will once more 
regain its place in the public's favour. 
HOYA IMPERIALIS. 
Hoyas are not so much grown as they deserve to be 
as they are very little trouble to manage and one of 
the most beautiful plants grown in the stove when 
in flower. The one under Dotice has just been 
flowering freely in the stove at Kew where its waxy 
umbels have been admired by all who had the good 
fortune to see it in bloom. The flowers which are 
of a reddish brown colour are nearly 3 in. in 
diameter and produced in umbels measuring 8 in. to 
9 in. across. Like many other handsome species in 
this genus it hails from Borneo, from which country 
it was introduced to British gardens in 1847. It 
grows best in a warm stove and delights in abund¬ 
ance of atmospheric moisture. Hoy a flowers should 
not be cut off as the next year's blooms are often 
produced on their stalks as well as on the young 
wood. 
KLEINIA GALPINI. 
This rare plant is making a show of bloom in the 
Cape House at Kew. It is a plant which is very 
little known but well worthy of a place in every 
greenhouse, where its profusion of large orange 
coloured heads of bloom would make it a very 
welcome addition to the best collections. When out 
of flower the glaucous foliage makes it a very 
effective plant. It grows about 1 ft. to ij ft. high, 
and should always be grown in a sandy soil. 
Cuttings are freely produced after flowering and 
strike easily. It is very impatient of excessive 
moisture either at the root or in the atmosphere, and 
in the winter both of these must be kept down to the 
minimum or the succulent leaves will soon rot. It 
was introduced from South Africa and has been 
figured several times. 
A WONDERFUL HEDGE. 
There are many arboreal wonders to be seen in the 
British Isles. One o f the greatest is the Btech 
