274 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 28, 1903 
notice is characterised by dwarf habit and whit ^flowers, which 
are very sweet scented. Most Paeonies have a slight odour, 
but only some of them are distinctly sweetly scented, including 
the variety under notice. Messrs. Kelway ■& Son, Langport, 
Somerset, have been responsible for immense improvements in 
this class of flower for many years past, and to' them we are 
indebted for this illustration of the variety under notice. 
TWO BEAUTIFUL SNOWDROPS. 
During the last few years the number of Snowdrops in cul¬ 
tivation have been greatly increased, a result due not to im¬ 
provements made by cultivators, but to the introduction of new 
forms from their native habitats. Two varieties or species of 
which we intend speaking on this occasion are notable for the 
great breadth of the 1 leaves, and the large' size of the flowers ; 
while in one case the plant is notably late in coming into 
bloom. Whether they are species or varieties we do not intend 
to discuss at present, but take the names as supplied us. G. 
Whittalli may be compared to G. Elwesii, than which it is 
taller, with broader leaves. The flowers are also very globular 
in form, but that trait could easily be matched in G. Elwesii. 
The flowers are also marked in the same way as the last-named 
species, having two very conspicuous; dark green markings on 
the outer face of the inner petals, which stamps its affinity with 
G. Elwesii. From what we have seen of G. Ikariae, it is more 
nearly allied to the common Snowdrop (G. nivalis), but no 1 one 
who has seen the two ever mistakes the one' for the other. The 
leaves of the newcomer are of immense breadth, and of a light- 
green colour. The flowers are pure white, with the exception 
of one very large green blotch on the outer face of the small 
segments. This latter form of Snowdrop will be welcome for 1 
its robust character, the great size of the flowers, breadth of 
leaves, and late blooming. The illustration of these t-wo' 
splendid Snowdrops has been placed at our disposal by Messrs. 
Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden. 
STRIPED FRENCH MARIGOLD. 
We mention this well-known garden flower for the purpose 
of calling attention to the points in a good exhibition flower. 
In speaking of French Marigolds- for exhibition we may state 
that in Scotland, more particularly, Marigolds are treated as 
florists’ flowers, and entered in the schedules; of flower shows 
where the exhibitors' have to attend to the points required by 
the florists. Stripecl Marigolds are very unstable, and require 
to be carefully selected for a number of years in order to 
induce some stability of character in the seedlings obtainable. 
Every year when harvesting the seeds the heads must be- 
gathered at a time when it is s-till possible to determine the 
value of the flowers, or, on the other hand, they may be marked 
when at their best, then carefully harvested and dried to furnish 
the best flowers for next year’s exhibition. The brooms should 
be large, perfectly double, with the florets regularly imbricated 
in the manner shown in the illustration to which this; article 
refers. The edges of the florets should be of a uniformly rich 
velvety dark brown colour, and the central portion, being 
golden yellow, or some other rich shade of yellow. The more 
regularly these two' colours are defined on each individual 
floret, the higher the value of the bloom will be considered by 
the judges on the day of the exhibition. Only cultivators know 
how difficult it is to keep up a high standard of merit in this 
particular class of flower. The illustration showing the dis¬ 
position of the colours was placed at our disposal by Messrs, 
B. Veitch & Son, Exeter. 
ACHILLEA MONGOLICA. 
The above plant is most- familiarly known under the name 
just given in gardens, but botanists consider that it is more 
correctly named A. s-ibirica. It- is a native of Northern Asia, 
and has been cultivated in gardens for a considerable number 
of years. Though most suitable for the rock garden, it may 
also be cultivated in the border, but it belongs to that class of 
plants which is most favoured by the admirers and cultivators 
of dwarf plants suitable for the rock garden. Two double 
forms of our native species, A. Ptarmica fl. pi., are frequent in 
cultivation and prove very useful for cut flowers. That under 
notice is equally suitable for cut flowers, and though single 
would prove more attractive to those who take delight in single 
flowers. For a species of Achillea the rays are much longer 
than those of most other species in cultivation, a -fact which 
should encourage a more extensive cultivation of this species. 
There seems to us no reason why we should not have a double 
form of this Siberian species, even if it were necessary for tire 
hybridist to try his hand in crossing it with the double forms of 
the British Sneezewort. The large rays of the plant under 
notice give us hope that a double form of it would certainly 
be superior to any of the' doubles we already have in culture. 
For the illustration of this handsome species we are indebted 
to Messrs. Daniels Bros., Limited, Norwich. 
FERN BALLS, 
During the past ten years or so the Japanese have been 
very industrious in introducing to 1 our notice a method of cul¬ 
tivating Davallia-s- and other h erns, but chiefly D. bullata and 
D. b. Mariesii, in the form of balls of soil completely covered 
with the rhizomes of these beautiful and handsome Ferns. 
There are various forms in which they may be worked up, such 
as birds, monkeys, and elephants, but the ordinary forms repre¬ 
senting basket plants.are the most- generally useful, and there¬ 
fore the most employed. We have on several occasions seen 
immense quantities of these Fern balls, both in actual form 
and also the material from which the Fern balls could be con¬ 
structed by workers in the nurseries. On the occasion of a. 
recent visit to the nursery of Messrs. James Carter & Co., 
Forest Hill, we noted one large house entirely devoted to these 
balls, and numbering some 10,000. Large as the house was, 
they had to be suspended tier above tier in the house, and 
close together, so that when once the Ferns commence grow¬ 
ing, more room would become imperative for the proper 
development of the fronds-. Of the illustrations put at our 
service by Messrs. Carter, one shows a Fern ball after one 
year’s growth, but the other, after two years' growth, shows 
the beauty of the plant when fully established. 
CACTUS DAHLIA EVA. 
Last year witnessed a great- advance amongst the new Cactus 
Dahlias. For the past decade- or more one oi the chief objects 
of raisers has been to obtain a good white Cactus Dahlia. 
Several have been raised, put into commerce, and enjoyed a. 
greater or less reputation tor a number of years, until at last 
t-liey were displaced by something better. We do not intend to 
enumerate the various types which have appeared, but tire best 
for a short time recently proved to be Lord Roberts, having 
good white flowers of exhibition size, and certainly the best two 
years ago. At the September Exhibition of the National 
Dahiia Society last- year, the variety Eva turned up, and was 
at once and generally admitted to be the finest pure white 
Cactus Dahlia hitherto seen. The florets are long and pointed, 
making it more truly a typical Cactus Dahlia than many of 
those so-called in former years. The plants are of dwarf habit 
and sturdy growth, while every flower stands clear above the 
foliage, thus making the variety a useful garden ornament, as 
well as an exhibition sort-. Flowers were shown at a number of 
the principal Dahlia, exhibitions in London last year, showing 
that it remained in perfect condition for a period of some weeks. 
First-class Certificates were awarded it by the National Dahlia 
Society, the London Dahlia Union, and an Award of Merit was 
accorded it by the Royal Horticultural Society, this being of 
equal value as the First-class Certificates of the other societies 
mentioned. We hope it will remain true to its character during 
the coming autumn, and that we shall see it utilised for various 
