612 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 25, 1903. 
with Clerodendron fall-ax and Coleus ; while one was devoted L o 
Roses in 6-in. pots. Pelargoniums, in 5 in. pots, occupied 
another. Palms and Ferns had also houses allotted to them. 
The following are grown for the production of seed,, and are 
special strains, the result of years of careful selection—viz., 
Cockscombs, Celosias, and Gloxinias, which were gi owing in 
5-in. and 6-in. pots, and making a grand display. A houseful 
of Streptocarpus, in pots from 3 in. to 6 in., and in every shade 
of colour, is really grand, and these have already gained popu¬ 
larity wherever shown. A special strain of single Begonias is 
also a magnificent display, flowers averaging 6 in. to 7 in. in 
diameter. A batch of Primula obconica grandiflora, and a 
batch of Calceolarias, sown in November, and flowering in 
7-in. pots, deserve special mention 
In the seed-plots outside a lovely strain of Papa-ver nudicaule 
was noticed, embracing many shades, strips, and blotches new 
to this popular flower. In another bed a beautiful shade of 
pink Canterbury Bells was noticed, and an immense quantity 
of Giant and other strains of Polyanthus, the former having 
footstalks about 18 in. long, carrying a good crop of seed. 
Messrs. Storrie’s selected strains of Auraoula were ro be seen 
in beds of thousands, also showing a good crop of seed. 
A brake of Borecole Albeoo (Kale) is also showing a rich 
harvest, and is another achievement of this firm, who are 
making steady progress in this as in other branches of their 
business. * James Bethel, Secretary, 
Dundee Horticultural Association. 
Westwood Gardens, New-port-on-Tay, N.B. 
The Weather and Crops in West Lothian. 
It is-rather difficult to describe the weather we have had 
all this year; it has been so much mixed up. The first three 
months were dreadfully wet, nearly 20 in. of rain having 
fallen. April was comparatively dry, only 1.24 in. having 
fallen here. From the 11th to the 25th we had very severe 
frosts, which did a great amount of harm. May was very 
cold, with an occasional hot day. It was fairly diy, less than 
2 in. of rain being registered. June, on the whole, was a fine 
month, the rainfall being 2.22 in., which is a great contrast 
to many districts in the South. The first half of July has been 
seasonable, the rainfall being 1.35 in., which fell on two days— 
the 1st and 5th. 
The crops are so erratic in the district that I have some diffi¬ 
culty in forming an average report on them. Strawberries 
are a good average all over ; Raspberries plentiful in so-me 
places, and very scarce in others. Gooseberries are the same. 
Black and Red Currants are about an average crop ; Apples 
and Pears very poor; Plums also poor; while Cherries set a 
very heavy crop, but in most instances have dropped the bulk 
of the fruit. 
Inside, Grapes-are very fine, but Peaches and Nectarines are 
by no means heavy. Among vegetables;, Peas everywhere look 
well. Cauliflowers in some places are poor—the early crops at 
all events; our own are very good. Kidney Beans have, in 
many cases, germinated badly, and are making only very 
middling progress. Potatos are very good indeed, while Onions 
are mostly doing poorly. Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, and all 
winter greens are looking well. Beet, like Kidney Beans, has 
not germinated at all well. Tomatos indoors are splendid, both 
as regards quantity and quality. 
Hardy flowers are very dwarf for the most part, but colours 
and size of bloom are very fine. Roses-1 hear many complaints 
about, -as being infested with green fly and the Rose maggot. 
Our own, I am glad to say, are clean and promise well, but 
are very late. Bedding stuff generally has not filled the beds 
well, but is blooming plentifully. Alpine plants have flowered 
most superbly, and their season has been pro-lunged much later 
than usual. Inside flowers are very good. Pot Roses have 
be-en exceptionally so, while all sections of Pelargoniums never 
were finer. On the whole, therefore, we may say that this 
season is a great improvement on last year. C. Blair. 
The Herbaceous Border. 
PLANTS IN BLOOM. 
Sidalcea Candida. 
The several species of Sidalcea are very similar in habit, 
although some forms have been introduced that have much 
longer stems than others, and the flowers more thinly disposed 
on the stems. The white-flowered species under notice is one 
of the more compact- and dwarf-growing of the forms. The 
leaves are veiy deeply divided into- finger-like segments, and 
the white flowers- with their wa-tery-veins on the petals are 
very characteristic. The propagation of these plants offers no 
difficulties whatever if the cultivator takes care to separate the 
root-stock into pieces-, each consisting of some roots and a 
crown. This had best be done in the autumn after the stems 
have been cut- down, and the ground become nicely moist with 
the autumn rains. 
Sidalcea Listeri. 
This form is of stronger growth than either S. Candida or S. 
ma-lvaeflora, the stems attaining the height- of 3 ft. or 4 ft. 
when moisture is fairly plentiful, such as it- has been this 
year. The leaves are made up- of six or nine linear segments. 
The flowers are produced in racemes-, terminating the main 
stem and also the branches. The flowers are pink and deeply 
fringed at t-he margins-, and in this respect- it differs from all 
the other species in cultivation. The- plant is of garden origin, 
and though closely allied to S. malvaefio-ra, the flowers; are much 
larger, in addition- to being fringed like a. Dianthus, Some 
years; ago it was granted an Award of Merit by the R.H.S., and 
it- is; certainly a worthy addition to- the herbaceous border. 
Campanula aliariaefolia. 
The beauty of this species gives- cause for surprise that it is 
not more frequently cultivated in gardens-. It ma-ke-s a beauti¬ 
ful plant- for the front lines of the herbaceous border, as it 
only grows about-18 in. high. The lower leaves- are very broad 
and reniform, but they gradually become narrower and longer 
up the stem as they approach the flowers. The- latter are bell- 
shaped, pure white, and hang t-o one- side, so that they face 
the visitor. By contrast with the dark green foliage they look 
very handsome -a-t this time of the- year. It- is- a native of the 
Caucasus* and of the easiest cultivation in any good garden 
s-o-il. 
Campanula punctata. 
The great- length o-f the flowers of this species is one of its 
most striking features-; they are between funnel-shaped and 
cylindrical. On the outer face the corolla- is almost white, 
while the interior is- t-hickly spotted all over with purple, this 
being the- meaning of the specific name. These flowers proceed 
from the axils of the upper leaves-, -and hang perpendicularly, as 
bells should do. The flowers- are unusually elongated, and the 
leaves se-e-m to- conform -to this plan, being heart-shaped and 
greatly elongated, doubly notched on the margins- and wrinkled. 
The ha-bit of the plant, on the other hand, is- such that it can 
he ea-s-ily accommodated, the stems rising up to- a height of 
1 ft- to- 2 ft., according t-o- the vigour and age of the plant. 
It is a- native of Japan and China-, and, being hardy, might 
more- o-ften be planted in herbaceous collections for the sake 
of its large and drooping flowers. 
Lavatera cachemiriana. 
The soft rosy-pink flowers of this Mallow-wo-rt measure 24 
in. to 3 in. across-, and as they are produced in racemes ter¬ 
minating the stems they are both handsome and conspicuous. 
As a border -plant, it makes a beautiful object- in July, but- the 
size- and conspicuous character of the flowers would make it 
well worth while planting a bed of this in some- convenient 
situation on the grass in the pleasure grounds, where a- mass of 
it- would attract the eye from a- great distance. The leaves- 
present nothing special, being semipalma-te, like- those of a 
Mallow, and shallowly three to- five-lobed. Under ordinary 
conditions the plant grows about 2 ft. in height. J. MT. 
