THE GARDENING WORLD . January 10, 1903. 
Such Himalayan plants as Pentapterygffikn, serpens and 
P. rugo-sum, the former a graceful shrub, growing 4-ft. or so - 
high, clothed with small bright green leaves, and bearing in 
spring large numbers of scarlet, tubular, pendulous blossoms 
from the under -side of the previous year’s wood, and the latter 
with larger leaves • and purple and white netted flowers; 
Aga-pete-s buxifolia, with box-like leaves and scarlet blossoms, 
borne from ripened wood of the previous summer and from 
stems -several years -old; the lovely Lucul-i-a gratissima, with 
its handsome heads of fragrant pink flowers; and many others 
can be used. 
Australian plants have been introduced by mentioning the 
Acacias, but there are very many others which will do per¬ 
fectly in our cold greenhouse. Erio-stemo-ns, with their pretty 
white blossoms, are always much admired. The species and 
varieties of Epacris are graceful, very free flowering, and 
ornamental, and have the advantage of lasting in flower for a 
long while. L-eptospennum. -sico-parium,-with its starry white 
flowers, is a delightful plant. Choriz-emas, with their pretty, 
showy Pea-shaped flowers, are very useful subjects.; the same 
can be said of Grevilleas, B.oronias, and many other things. 
The Canary Islands give us Cytisus- fragnans—commonly 
called Genista racemoisa—-and it-s -large-Mo-wered; gl-aucous- 
leiaved variety,, elegan-s; the graceful, white-flowered Cytisus 
filipes, and many others. 
South Africa gives us Ericas- in large quantities 1 , which, are 
not- made nearly so much of in gardens as they might be-, bulbs 
in huge quantities, and numerous other things. 
Blue-flowere-d -plants arei scarce, but Ce-anothus rdgidus aud 
C. veitchianus are exc'e-llenitplants, and well -w-ortb -a place, for, 
though they will stand out of doors, ‘without injury through 
ordinary winters, very severe weather proves fatal. Magnolia 
istellata is hardy, but though flowering early, its- flowers, are 
often damaged by late, spring frosts, consequently a- plant is 
well worth growing indoors. Two plant® from California-, which 
are rarely seen in cultivation, but whim, -are well worthy atten¬ 
tion, are Carpentaria californica, a shrub -growing 6 ft. or so 
high, and bearing in May large quantities of large white 
blossoms; and Fre-mo-ntia californica, a, taller growing -shrub 
with yellow floivers. Daphne odor-a, better known a-s D. indica, 
should find a place, for it flowers for a long time and is 
deliciously scented. 
Bulbs of many descriptions can be used. Crocuses, Daffodils, 
etc., may be -had earlier than outdoors; while for many kinds 
of Lilium the temperature will prove satisfactory. Mention 
may be made of a few species which have been proved to 
thrive well, namely, L. Henryi, L. bakerianum, L. -aurat-um, 
L. su&liureum, L. lon'giflorum, and others. Hyacinths and 
Tulips and many -others can a-lso be used; 
For extending -the flowering period of forced plants, the cold 
greenhouse will be found a useful place, for the- flowers- will 
be found to last much longer in a cold house than in a 
warmer one. Shrubs such a-s Lilacs, Spiraeas,'Pyrus, Primus-, 
Thorns, W-ist-arias, -and many other things can be requisitioned. 
Roses make themselves perfectly at home in -a cold house, 
though, of course, flowers cannot be obtained so early as when 
heat is used. They may be •either cultivated in pots or b-e 
planted out in borders. 
Climbers for pillars or rafters can be -readily obtained, for, 
in addition to Climbing Roses, Lapageri-a-s, Berberidops-is c-ora-l- 
lina, Passiflora cseiulea, and others, Lonicera etrusca and 
L. sempervirens, Clematis iudivisa, the numerous garden 
varieties of Cle-m-atis, -and many other things can' be used. 
Ferns-, such a-s Pte-ris trem-u-1 a, P. umbrosa, A-sp-l-enium b-ulbi- 
fe-rum, A. umbros-um, Dioksonia -ant-a-rct-ica-, and others will 
thrive-, while such pretty things -as Primula, -obeonica, P. flori- 
b-unda, P. mollis, etc., will d-o excellently. 
From these notes it- will be seen that there is a large selec¬ 
tion of plants for anyone who- cares to- try a cold greenhouse, 
and the list has by no means exhausted -the number. Many 
of them -are inexpensive, easily managed, and will l-a-st for 
years, while the cost of cultivation is materially lessened o-n 
acc-o-unt of very little or no fire heat being required. 
W. Dallimore. 
Christmas Hoses. 
Best Varieties.— The name, Christmas Rose-, is applied 
nio-st properly t-o Helleborus niger and its varieties. There 
are several other species of Helle-borus, but they are more 
properly classed as Lenten Roses, as they bloom in February 
and March, though in certain cases the later ones, planted 
in cool, shady situations, may continue good till April. All the 
species and varieties of Hellebore change colour in the course 
of their development, the coloured aepal-s of the Christmas 
Ro-ses being white when they open, b-ut become tinted more or 
less with pink, if exposed to the weather, and gradually change 
to- green as they reach their final stages. The Lenten Roses in 
some cases are more or less green in their earlier stages, but 
change to white, -or are spott-e-d or uniformly tinted) in some 
rich shade of colour. Many of them bear numerous- flowe-rs on 
a stem. 
The period of flowering is extended, practically, over the 
whole -o-f the winter, owing to t-he existence of numerous 
varieties possessed of distinct -characteristic®. A very pre¬ 
cocious -one comes into bio-om during October and November 
in the- far North of Britain, -being in perfection during the 
latter -month. Several of them bloom from -about Christmas 
till well into- spring, according t-o- variety and 1 circumstances. 
One -of the- finest is St. B rigid-s Christmas- Rose- (H. niger 
angustifolius), which is characterised by the narrow divisions 
of the leaves, the tall, green leaf-stalks, -and pure white flowers. 
This giv-e-s it a- popularity for cut flower purposes which the 
others do -not possess. 
Nevertheless, for garden purposes, there is no- gainsaying the 
beauty -of H. n. major, H. n. ma-ximu-s-, and- H. n. -ruber, all of 
which -serve to giv-e variety in- gardens -a-nd garden borders of 
ample extent, or where collections a-re rendered representative 
by the diligence- of o'vvn-ers or their gardeners, who-take delight 
in these winter-blooming, hardy perennials. The last three 
named have large flowers, and when exposed to- the weather 
become more- or l-e-ss tinted with red, particularly H. n. ruber, 
which develops, more of the red colour than -any other. 
H. n. maximus- is the strongest grower, and a very useful 
plant for general purposes. In order to- preserve the beauty 
of the flowers for -the lo-nge-st possible period; they should be 
covered' with hand-lights or frames. This is done most often 
in those ca-s-es where the- flowe-rs are desired for cutting. 
Situation.—Those who intend commencing the- cultivation 
of Christinas- Roses, or making a fresh plantation, will have 
to be guided by -the climatic conditions of their own particular 
district. Along the Eastern -and Southern counties of Eng¬ 
land, where the summers -are oft-en very dry -and warm, a 
more or less 1 shady position should -be s-elect-ed for t-he site of 
the plantation, where the plants will be isore-e-ned from the 
effects of -the long afternoon sun. Being shaded from t-he sun 
at noon will als-o- be advantageous. Nothing is gained, hoKvever, 
by having them under the drip of trees, whether deciduous or 
evergreen, as it weakens the- foliage of the true Ghris-tmas 
R-o-ses. Further North, where the -summers -are fairly cool 
and m-oist, they will thrive satisfactorily in the o-p-en border, 
amongst other herbaceous pla-nt-s. 
Preparation of the Soil.—A deep, -rich soil is t-he best for 
Christmas Itoses, and, if this i-s liberally dressed with well- 
rotted farmyard manure and leaf mould, an ideal soil -should be 
the result-, as such will be retentive of moisture so favourable 
to all the tribe. On the other hand, -it -should b-e well drained. 
If not recently trenched, this -should be accomplished. 
Propagation.—-Hellebores are- impatient of root disturbance, 
and t-his -should n-ot often be performed, so long a-s the plants 
are making vigorous or satisfactory growth. They may b-e 
raised from seeds-, but the seedlings take a considerable time 
to reach th-e fl-owening -stage-. The best method o-f increasing 
large plants is by division. As the thick, fleshy roots are often 
tightly interlaced with one another, a good plan is to shake 
aw-ay all .the -soil, -even washing the roots in a pail of water, so 
that the cro'wms may be separated with the- least cutting by a 
knife. Hortulanus. 
