234 
7 HE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 14. 1903. 
Very interesting was N. montanus, one of the supposed 
parents of the Leedsii type. The bulbs are remarkably vari¬ 
able, and several of them had flowers showing an inclination to 
become double. Better known types were N. poeticus poeta- 
rum, N. Barrii Flora Wilson, N. stella superba (with flowers of 
enormous size), N. Maurice Vilmorin (with very broad seg¬ 
ments), N. Barri conspicuus, and N. triandrus albus or Angel s 
Tears. Quite of another type is N. tridvmus S. A. de Graaff, 
and N. semipartitus, having a three-lobed crown and not very 
common. A very uncommon species is N. pachybulbus, 
having numerous flowers resembling N. Tazetta on a very 
small scale, with a very short crown. N. Bulbocodium mono- 
phyllus, planted out, has kept up a succession of flowers for a 
considerable time. 
ROCKERY PLANTS. 
Independently of those already mentioned under the heading 
of Primulas, we must now refer to various other plants for the 
rock garden. Amonst those in flower at the present time are 
the beautiful Shortia galacifolia, Anemone Hepatica alba, and 
Saxifraga burseriana, with flowers out of all proportion to the 
size of the plant. A beautiful new rock plant is Lithospermum 
rosmarinifolium, with dark blue flowers like those of L. prostra¬ 
tum. Very interesting is the Scoliopus Bigelovii, but we 
cannot describe it as sweet scented. The hardy Cyclamens 
were flowering very freely and beautifully, including the rosy 
C. ibericum, the white C. Coum album, and the larger flowered 
C. Atkinsoni album. A very choice plant is Adonis amurensis 
th ph, the flowers of which last in good condition for three 
weeks in the open air. Very pretty is Ramondia Nataliae, 
■which is somewhat similar to R. pyrenaica, but three weeks 
earlier to flower and different in the leaves. A pretty form of 
Shooting Star is Dodecatheon Hendersoni, with purple twisted 
petals, reminding one of a Cyclamen. The rosy flowers of 
Androsace Laggeri are already in full bloom. One of the best 
of the Grape Hyacinths is the white flowered Muscari botryoides 
album. Less well known is M. paradoxum, with dark, violet 
flowers, not unlike those of a small Hyacinth. The Snake’s 
Head Fritillaries are flowering in considerable variety, includ¬ 
ing purple, rose, and white colours. 
Very choice alpines are the white flowered Androsace villosa, 
the blue and white Viola pedata bicolor, and Soldanella alpina, 
with bell-shaped flowers deeply cut into fringes. Saxifraga 
Stracheyi alba has large white flowers. Trillium grandflorum 
roseum differs from the type in having pale rosy-pink flowers. 
T. sessile Snow Queen is white, whereas those of the type are 
of a dull red purple. The early flowering Irises were just 
passing out of bloom, but late flowers of I. Tauri, I. Heldreichi, 
I. histrioides, I. reticulata, and I. stylosa still showed the 
characters of their respective types. An early flowering bulb 
is Merendera sobolifera, with pale pink flowers. Disporum 
Hookeri is allied to Solomon’s Seal, but valued for its blue 
berries in autumn. 
GREENHOUSE SUBJECTS. 
A large batch of Lachenalias were in full bloom and very 
good by reason of their large, handsome flowers. L. Nelsoni 
has large golden yellow flowers, and, like the rest to be men¬ 
tioned, is a hybrid. L. Rector of Causton has green and yellow 
flowers, with a scarlet base and a bronzy rim round the margins. 
L. Causton Gem is very similar, but nearly without the bronzy 
edge. The Californian Pitcher Plant (Darlingtonia calif omica) 
was in bloom, and had been so for three weeks previous. The 
crimson-red petals are incurved, so as to form a nearly globular 
ball. Another Pitcher plant (Sarracenia rubra) is now coming 
into bloom. A very pretty water plant is that known as 
Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum proserpinacoides), which has 
finely-cut and very delicate-looking leaves, bearing in their 
axils multitudes of small, white, and inconspicuous flowers. 
The foliage alone makes it worthy of cultivation in the tank of 
a greenhouse or similar structure. Another interesting and 
even rarer plant is Limnanthemum nymphoides, with yellow 
flowers, the name being often tacked on to quite a different 
plant. 
Wistaria chinensis in Pots. 
The usefulness of the common Wistaria for covering walls, 
etc., outdoors is and has been for many Years well known, for 
it is one of the very best hardy, shrubby climbers we have. 
Its use, however, as a pot plant to be used for greenhouse and 
conservatory decoration is but now becoming known, and it is 
certain within the next few years to become one of the most 
eagerly sought after shrubs for forcing. Its culture as a pot 
plant is different from that of many shrubs used for forcing, 
for, while many are encouraged to make long, strong shoots, 
the branches of the Wistaria are encouraged to become stunted, 
the racemes being borne from short, well-budded spurs. In 
the case of the Wistaria, too, it is not advisable to plant the 
pot specimens out after flowering, as is the case with some 
shrubs ; they should be kept in pots all the time if they are 
to do well. Some Continental nurserymen sell plants ready 
for forcing, and these are the best to obtain. If, however, 
these stunted plants cannot be had, strong plants should be 
selected, potted up and headed back about 3 ft. from the pot. 
As the side branches develop, they should be stopped at three 
or four buds from the base. All through the summer and 
autumn the plants should be grown out of doors, exposed to 
full sun, so as to ensure thorough ripening. About November 
the first batch may be placed in heat, when they will come 
into flower in January or February. Anyone with an old plant 
may propagate their own by layering long branches or by put¬ 
ting in cuttings of pieces of root 3 in. or 4 in. long, and as 
thick as a lead pencil, in spring. W. D. 
Phloxes for Permanent Beds. 
The gradual reduction of flower gardens of geometrical 
design in favour of occasional beds on turf gives a much freer 
hand, and one is able to fill such beds with hardy plants that will 
make a brave show, and once planted will stand several seasons 
without renewal. So far as large beds are concerned (I mean 
anything, for instance, from 10 ft. to- 15 ft. in diameter), one 
or two must certainly be reserved for herbaceous Phloxes. 
There has been an extraordinary improvement in these of late 
years, not only in the size of truss and pip, but in the sub¬ 
stance of the latter, which is responsible for its enduring powers 
alike in the open ground and in a cut state. The pips, too, 
in varieties of recent introduction, ai;e very thick on the truss, 
and they should be promptly picked out as they decay to enable 
those at the back to expand, and so greatly extend the flower¬ 
ing season. 
The beds may be planted in various ways ; personally, I like 
to group the suffruticosa and decussata (early and late flower¬ 
ing) sections, in. alternate clumps ; one gets a longer display hi 
this way ; also the early flowering section, being dwarfer in 
habit, the surface of the bed is broken and a flat appearance is 
avoided. It is also advisable to carpet all intervening spaces 
with Phlox setacea and its varieties. The masses of pink and 
white flowers contrast admirably in spring with the young 
foliage of the taller sections. 
If the soil in the beds destined for the Phloxes is on the light, 
side a portion should be removed, and replaced with a com¬ 
post consisting of two-thirds from a heap of stiff roadsidings if 
good loam is not obtainable, and one-third cow manure, bastard 
trenching it at the same time. If this is done, summer water¬ 
ing will hardly be necessary, but a mulching is advisable if 
the weather prove hot and dry. It is well known that Phloxes 
are gross feeders, and soon exhaust the ground, but, given a 
preparation as above noted, they will flower well for three 
seasons, size and quality being well maintained. A thinning 
out of growths may, however, he practised after the first 
season. As soon as signs of deterioration appear dig rounc 
the plants, and throw out a portion of the soil, reducing the 
clumps at the same time, and fill up the space excavated wit! 
a compost similar to that recommended for the first planting 
This will give the plants a new lease of life. The alpine 
Phloxes will, of course, have to be lifted and replanted at the 
same time. E. B. C. 
