March 19, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
241 
lateral brandies are given off abundantly, so that the naked 
main stems are beautifully furnished with foliage during the 
second year of growth. The lanceolate leaves are relatively 
small even for a Phyllostachys, ranging only from in. 
t,o 3 in. in length. These are of a glossy dark green hue. The 
specific name of the plant relates to the colour of the stems, 
which are mostly green the first year, but afterwards become 
more or less black as they ripen in after years, and where the 
climate is suitable with more sunshine than in this country 
the stems, and especially the side twigs, 'become more or less 
quite black. 
There is a variety of the species named P. nigra punctata, 
and this also is given on account of the colour of the stems, 
which may be black, with numerous pale green spots, or green 
with numerous black markings, according to the predominance 
of one colour over the other. The photograph from which 
our picture was prepared was taken in the garden of Leopold 
de Rothschild, Esq., Gunnersbury Park, Acton, London. 
The collection of hardy Bamboos at Gunnersbury House 
has now become fairly extensive. Mr. James Hudson, the 
gardener, has selected a position for this one on the margin 
of the lake, where, it is sheltered on various sides by a Cedar, 
some Hollies, and Araucaria imbricata. The position of the 
lake is just indicated by a piece of Typha, latifolia, on the 
lower right hand corner of the picture, which lias its roots in 
the water. 
Round the Nurseries. 
Cyclamen at Reading. 
Every winter a display of Cyclamen extending over four 
months or more may be seen in the nurseries of Messrs. Sutton 
and Sons, Reading. For many years past their plan has been 
to sow in November, and these seedlings have been kept 
growing continually and shifted on as they require, and comei 
into bloom about twelve months lienee. They then continue 
flowering for the greater portion of winter. 
We recently inspected the collection, and noted that the 
grower has been improving his strain of White Butterfly by 
going back to the original flowers, which bad very widely 
spread segments like a butterfly on the wing. This gives the 
variety a distinctness in form that contrasts strongly with the 
ordinary reflexed flowers. It also appears to increase the size 
of the flowers, which are pure white and have always been so. 
The contrast between the purity of White Butterfly and Vulcan 
is very great, the latter being rich crimson, and indeed the 
darkest flower grown, at Reading. The colour is of a shade 
that lights up well with artificial light when the lights are 
behind the flowers. 
One of the most distinct of recent introductions was that 
named Salman Queen, the flowers being of a beautiful shade of 
salmon, and therefore widely distinct from the other colours 
ntherto appearing in. this garden race of plants. Several 
other varieties might be mentioned amongst the old persicum 
strain, which has now been so< improved as to be quite away 
bom the original, in the matter of size. The recent strain 
named Papilio is characterised by the ends of the petals being 
beautifully fringed and crisped. * This strain, however, lacks 
t ie smoothness of petal seen in, all other types of Cyclamen. 
Numerous varieties of the giant strain have been selected 
and fixed, so that every year they form a feature of the Read¬ 
ing collection. These flowers are very massive in proportions, 
>ome off them assuming an unusual width of petal; in other's 
t ie petal is of remarkable length. One of these named variei- 
ties is Giant Pink, being of a soft, shade of pink, as the name 
implies, and beautiful in form. 
A very fine flower coming under our notice was that named 
rin,nt Cherry Red, having intense or brilliant red flowers 
comparable to that of a red Cherry. A reference to> the illus^ 
tration will show that this has a broad, rather than an elon¬ 
gated petal, while the flower-stalks are stout and stand erect 
without, support. The foliage is also beautifully marbled and 
netted with grey on a dark green, ground. Giant Crimson, as 
the name implies, indicates a dark red of a different shade. 
Another beautiful form is Improved Giant Pink, a beautiful 
shade of pale salmon pink which lifts recently been selected. 
Giant White needs no recommendation, as white is always 
a popular colour amongst not only Cyclamen, but winter¬ 
flowering plants generally. The purity of the flowers leaves 
nothing to be desired. The flowers are also 1 amongst the 
largest in the collection, for we measured some of them 2£ in, 
to 3 in. in length. Giant Rose has also large flowers of a 
beautiful rosy shade. Giant Crimson and White refers to a 
strain which has most of the flowers pure white, with a crimson. 
Cyclamen Giant Cheeky Red. 
zone round the mouth of the flower. Another distinct shade 
is Giant Purple, which blooms very freely. 
There is a shade of purple wei noted which, when dying off, 
gives rise to a blue tint which makes one almost wish that a 
blue flower would make it® appearance amongst Cyclamen. 
Some seedlings continue to be selected from some vantage 
point or other, and amongst these we noted one with soft red 
flowers produced in great profusion, while the heart-shaped 
leaves were closely marbled with grey, and would be quite 
handsome even without flowers. 
All of the above varieties may be obtained in mixture by 
those who have not sufficient accommodation to go in for 
separate colours. If grown in mixture there oa.n be no ques¬ 
tion that the colours blend harmoniously even when there is 
strong contrast between Vulcan and any of the pure white 
varieties. As these flower® may be pulled for cut flowers in 
winter- and the display isi such a continuous one, Cyclamen 
constitute a very economical class of plants to grow. 
