February 21, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
167 
Begonia Perle Lorraine. 
In this we have a beautiful new variety of Begonia for 
decorative purposes in winter. The foliage is ample, the leaves 
being obliquely heart-shaped and strongly ribbed, while the 
flowers are freely produced in cymes in the axils of the upper 
leaves, the colour being white, tinted with pink. The variety 
commences to bloom in January, and continues to April. The 
plants are of vigorous growth, branch freely and make a fine 
display on account of the wealth of bloom, which, by its pale 
colour, makes a fine contrast with the deep green leaves with 
darker markings. The variety is a new one, and its general 
features are well shown in our illustration prepared from a 
photograph sent us by Messrs. Blackmore & Langdon, of 
Begonia fame, Twerton Hill Nursery, Bath. Mr. Langdon at 
one time was gardener to the Rev. Edwin Lascelles, of Newton 
St. Loe, who is' one of the most famous of amateur raisers of 
tuberous Begonias. 
Twelve Best Flowering Plants at Kew. 
' .There are more plants in the garden than ye wot of.” 
Cattleya Skinneri 
This, though an old inhabitant, of our gardens, is still a 
universal favourite. The delightful, soft rosy-purple colour of 
the fiddle-shaped, partially convolute lip is a sufficient recom¬ 
mendation in itself. A native of the warm, moist regions of 
Guatemala, where it is found high up on the trees, necessitates 
its culture in a similar climate, which can be best obtained in 
the warmest end of the Brazilian House. 
Oncidium splendidum. 
This handsome plant, formerly described as 0. tigrinum var. 
splendidum, but now accorded specific rank, is well worthy of 
a place in every collection. The peduncle, which attains a 
height of 2 ft., bears a branched, profusely-flowered raceme, 
the individual flowers being large and conspicuous, measuring 
3 in. from tip of upper sepal to base of lip. The yellow re¬ 
curving sepals and petals transversely blotched with rich chest¬ 
nut-brown combine with the large yellow fiat lip in the pro¬ 
duction of a desirable flower for cutting or other ornate purpose. 
Eranthemum albiflorum. 
So adaptable to culture in small pots, suitable for edging or 
massing on the side stages of a. stove, is this Acanthaeeous plant 
from Brazil that it is deserving of more extended culture. Its 
terminal, erect raceme*—usually three-are produced together— 
of white flowers, copiously produced, contrast effectively with 
tire large, handsome, full deep green opposite leaves. Naturally, 
it is a small shrub about 21 ft, high, but struck from cuttings 
it forms a single-stemmed plant from 9 in. to 12 in. high the 
first season. 
Acokanthera spectabilis. 
This South African plant is probably better known as Toxi- 
cophlaea spectabilis. The three species of this genus are con¬ 
sidered to be more or less poisonous, but whatever their 
medicinal properties this species undoubtedly merits attention 
as an ornamental flowering shrub. It is usually grown as a 
shrub in a warm greenhouse, where it is very pleasing, but 
when trained close to the glass in a, house with a, higher tem¬ 
perature, as in the Palm House, where it flowers during the 
major part of the winter, it is still more serviceable and appre¬ 
ciated. The flowers, which are produced in short, branched 
cymes at. the ends of the branches, are pure white and decidedly 
fragrant, 
Centropogon lucyanus. 
A member of the Campanulaceae, of garden origin, being a 
hybrid of C. faStuosa x Siphocampylus betulaefolius. Though 
raised by M. Desponds, of Versailles, in 1856, it. is not so fre¬ 
quently cultivated as it merits. As a winter-flowering, green¬ 
house plant, its long, tubular, conspicuous flowers of a rosy- 
carmine hue, freely produced on short lateral spurs, are most 
desirable adjuncts during the dull months. Concomitant with 
its usefulness is its other attribute of easy culture. Spring- 
struck cuttings, grown in an intermediate temperature during 
summer, furnish nice specimens for flowering during the winter. 
Sparmannia africana. 
Were it only for its utility in furnishing material for “ but¬ 
tonholes ” and sprays, this old-fashioned plant should find a 
position in every greenhouse. Amenable to pot culture it is, 
however, when planted in a bed that its floriferousness and 
handsome appearance can be conceived. Plants grown in this 
manner, fully 6 ft. high, and a mass of blossom, are to be 
seen in the Temperate House. 
Begonia Perle Lorraine. 
Moschosma riparnim. 
For full particulars of this most useful South African Labiate, 
see No. 4 of this series. 
Frecsia rcfracta alba. 
“ Beauty and sweetness combined ” is a fitting term for this 
useful member of Iridaceae, to describe which would be super¬ 
fluous, It might be added that if some more of the attention 
given while in flower were given afterwards, the results would 
frequently be different. 
Prunus japonica flore p eno alba (syn. P. sinensis). 
An extremely useful greenhouse plant when forced into 
flower at this season, when all the previous season’s growth are 
one mass of white globose flowers from base to apex. 
Rhododendron praecox. 
For beautifying the landscape this is par excellence at this 
season by reason of its rosy-mauve flowers, so freely produced. 
Desirable in the shrubberies, it is equally so when given the 
