282 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 2, 1904. 
and slipshod method of cultivation with air the accompani¬ 
ments inflicted upon it by the careless grower who either 
leaves the diseased stems on the field to be ploughed in, or 
what is worse:, places them in the cattle-yard to be trodden 
amongst the manure and then conveyed to' the field, thusi 
ensuring the continuation of the disease by absolute disregard 
of such methods: of disseminating it. The speaker, however, 
thought that if reasonable care was taken in cultivation there 
was no reason why the Potato should not retain its vigour for 
a much longer time than Potato® of the immediate past. 
He also dealt with the necessity for proper care in seed 
selection, and laid great: stress upon the importance of a change 
of seed. He had been making experiments in his own garden 
in the south, in which Potato®, from Scotland or Lincolnshire 
were grown alongside! of those reared from his own, stocks. 
The results were strikingly in favour of a change of seed. 
That is no new discovery, but merely an old well-known yet 
neglected piece of knowledge!, for we have in, our early school¬ 
days been, occupied ini obtaining this change of seed from 
another district than that in which our own Potato-s were 
grown. We kn'ow that this w-as also done between neighbour¬ 
ing growers, it may bavei been some miles apart,, by simply 
giving quantity for quant,ity without, any parting with money, 
solely for the purpose of getting a, change of seed -to ensure a 
better crop 1 . This is, a practice 1 that, might profitably be 
pursued with . several other garden or field crops, whether 
grown, from tubers, roots, or seeds. 
The speaker had also made many experiments, in an en¬ 
deavour to combat the disease and succeeded to admiration 
when, the conditions, were favourable to the growth of Potato® 
and unfavourable to the, rapid spread of disease. This is what 
most, people experience whoi make careful experiments, and 
although one can only be partially successful in bad years, it 
behoves everyone to make an endeavour to: combat the disease 
so long as the returns pay for the: labour expended. At the: 
conclusion cf this meeting it was resolved t-o> recommend the 
National Potato Society to organise a National Potato Ex¬ 
hibition. 
Wistaria multijuga russelliaaa. 
(See Supplement .) 
We have now much pleasure in: being able to lay before our 
readers a very fine variety of Wistaria, multijuga,. The latter 
is a native of China, as isi the better-known, species. Those 
who refer to our coloured illustration, will siee the same general 
features, which characterise W. chinensis, but, closer examina¬ 
tion will reveal distinction®. The: more; striking distinctions! 
in, this instance are that W. multijuga, has: a, much more lengthy, 
narrower, and more pointed raceme than the better-known 
species. The flowers also: appear more thinly disposed on the 
raceme. 
The ordinary W. multijuga, has lilac flowers with purple 
wings. The new variety, W. m. russelliana, has a, soft purple 
standard deepening in colour with age on both face®, and. has| 
a, creamy white eye-like blotch on the inner face. The wings 
and keel are .of a, dark blue colour, the tip of the keel being 
violet. The cup-like calyx is also purple. In the bud state 
the' flowers appear of a dark blue, fading considerably as they 
expand, then, a® they approach the fading stage they again 
deepen in colour. These colours, if seen on the real live plant, 
are veiy much darker and. finer than in the type, so that, we 
have no hesitation in considering this a decided acquisition to, 
the class to which it belongs. 
We could only show a, small raceme on our supplementary 
sheet, but, on strong growing shoots the racemes vary in 
length from 18 in. to 2 ft. 9 in. That in, itself is: a, distinction 
which can never be matched by the old W. chinensis, however 
strong the plant might be. The shoot from which our illus- 
tration was prepared was cut, from a, small plant in, a pet in 
the nursery of Mr. John Russell, Richmond, Surrey, on June 
22nd last, so that would give an idea of its period of flowering. 
The foliage of the plant is also, very handsome, especially the 
young leaves,, which assume various beautiful shades of bronze 
and brown. Those who like wall climbers and require some¬ 
thing both showy and interesting to cover walls could not do 
better than add this new variety, even where they already 
grow the ordinary Chinese species in their collection. 
Ini the: matter of cultivation no, difficulty exists with this 
species any more than with the better-known one. It may be 
planted out in any ordinary well-drained garden soil, provided 
always! there is plenty of room for the spread of the root 
system if a large plant is, desired. It may also be grown in 
pots, as, is done with the common specie®, and the cultivator 
may subject it to a, gentle 1 beat with the object of getting it 
earlier into bloom for the purpose of getting a succession and 
for adorning the greenhouse: and conservatory by the intro¬ 
duction of something fresh and distinct from the ordinary 
occupants. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. 
Not only has there been great improvement in size and 
colour of these beautiful flowers:, but, also in freedom of flower¬ 
ing, which gives us one of the most ga,y and useful flowers the 
greater part of the year, especially for the dull winter months, 
with a little selection of varieties. 
These are easily propagated by cuttings, selecting the short- 
jointed and best-ripened growths,. 
For winter flowering take the: .cutting® about, the end of 
February or beginning of March, put, them singly into' 2|-in. 
pot® into: a, mixture of loam, sand and leaf-mould in equal parts, 
being passed through a, ^-in. sieve. Place them in a, tempera¬ 
ture, of about, 60 deg. to 65 deg., where a moist atmosphere can 
be maintained and plenty of light, when they will root freely. 
When well rooted, pinch out the top®, and when seen to 
break up> the stem pot up into 5-in. pots into a mixture of loam 
and leaf-soil and enough sand or mortar rubble to keep it open. 
Keep them in about the same temperature as before till estab¬ 
lished, and when the weather is suitable place them out of doors 
in a sunny position. 
Keep all flowers picked off, and damp' overhead twice a, day 
if weather is bright, and keep, pinched back according to growth. 
About, the beginning of July pot, on again into 7-in. pots, using 
a mixture as before, with a, little decayed manure added. Keep 
the points, pinched out,, leaving five or six leaves on each growth 
until about the middle of September, when they may be allowed 
to flower. 
Place in a house with a temperature of about, 50 deg., with 
plenty of air, and give a, little, liquid manure—but not too much 
—to start, them into rank* growth, when they will flower 
through the winter, care being taken not to* keep* them too web 
at the root®. 
When: taking cuttings from these, after flowering, for the 
next winter’s supply, cut, down, the old plants, leaving about 
half a, dozen, piece® each about, 3 in. long. Place in vinery or 
Peach-house with a, temperature of about- 60 deg. to 65 deg., 
and keep' on the dry side for a time until they begin to break, 
then occasionally give manure-water and move 1 into a cooler 
house, when they will give a, grand show through the summer 
months with but, little trouble. 
A few of the best varieties which are well worth growing 
are,: Queen of the Whites, Snowdrop,, and the. double variety. 
La Cygnei (white) ; Andrew Lang, Chaucer, Diyden, Hall Ca-ine, 
Herrick, Zenobia, Southey, and Lord Aberdeen (red), Ger- 
trude Pearson, Amphion, Duchess, of Portland, General Wolse- 
ley (rose pink), Cassiope, Conan Doyle, Ian, Maolaren (salmon 
pink) Rudyard Kipling, King of the Crimsons, and T. Hayes 
(crimson). J- G. 
A New Primrose. —A nurseryman of Philadelphia has intro¬ 
duced a new Primula which he calls the Buttercup Primrose. 
It is described as growing freely from seed, requiring little 
attention, and ‘making a useful pot plant. Mr. W. K. Harris, 
the introducer, says that the new plant is so floriferous that the 
blo-oms weigh down the 1 stems if not supported. He also 
describes it as a great floral novelty. Each bloom is about an 
inch in diameter. 
