m 
THE OARDEN/NQ WORLD 
Mar 21. 1904. 
the culture of this class extended. Their merits lie in their 
beauty, neatness, and great variety of colours. Here we noted 
a number of those in bloom, including M. Schlimii, a very rare 
species', bearing one to six crimson-brown dowers on a stem. 
Others in flower here were M. Wagneri, M. ignea, M. i. masan- 
geana, with richly-coloured ftowera deepening to a fiery hue 
along the veins; M. Lawsoni, M. Estradeae, M. Veitchi, M. 
hinciksiana., M. hariyana in great variety, and M. h. 
triumjrhans, with very rich violet purple flowers. Very pretty 
in its way was M. Shuttleworthii xanthocoris, with straw-yellow 
flowers, finely mottled. Very fine was M. ignea militaris 
splendens, with fiery red flowers and a violet flush. M. oour- 
tauldiana has large pink flowers tinted with yellow on the 
back. The curiously-formed flowers of itestrepia. elegans, 
densely spotted with crimson, make it a suitable companion for 
the Masdevallias. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants. 
At the north end of the nursery is a large lean-to house 
filled with a great variety of subjects requiring a cool atmo¬ 
sphere. Here we noted some Cape bulbs, including Cyrtanthus 
McKenii, white; C. flambeau, rose with scarlet edges; and C. 
intermedia, having paler flowers, being a hybrid between the 
two named. Veronica hulkeana, although treated as a green¬ 
house plant, is nearly hardy. 
In another greenhouse ELandfbrdia. nobilis, with funnel- 
slurped. orangei-scarlet flowers and golden tips, was very hand¬ 
some. Better known and more popular subjects Avere 
Richardia elliottiana, B. Pentlandi, and the Barberton Daisy 
(Gerbera Jamesonii), with large scarlet flowers. Very hand¬ 
somely variegated with silvery white was a variety of 
Hydrangea japonica, to which Saxifraga sarmentosa. tricolor 
offered a striking contrast. The beautiful Oestrum Smithii, of 
which we gave a. coloured plate in The Gardening World for 
April 18th, 11)03, was flowering in GO-sized pots, showing how 
freely it blooms even in this miniature condition. If grown 
as a. greenhouse climber, one can well conceive what a quantity 
of flowers would he produced by it. 
In, this house was a line collection of Fuchsias, both named 
varieties and seedlings, for Messrs. Bull have been busy trying 
to improve this fine race. Zonal Pelargoniums are grown in 
all the best varieties, single and double. Very tine was White 
West. Brighton Gem, a new variety, with pure white flowers, 
differing only in colour from the type. .Still another new 
variety is Double West Brighton Gem, to be sent out in June. 
It is very free-flowering, bearing large double white flowers. 
For those who like the stellate section of Cinerarias, the hybrid 
named Lady Thiselton Dyer, with blue and white flowers, is 
very handsome. 
Fine foliage plants are very plentifully represented here, in¬ 
cluding a. large collection of Crotons, such as aigburthense, 
Aigburth Gem, and Prince of Wales, with long, wavy leaves. 
Aralias are represented by A. Veitchi, A. V. gracillima, A. 
Chabrieri, A. trilobata, with deeply-fingered leaves, and many 
others. Amongst Dracaenas, a very fine one is D. Mayi, with 
bronzy leaves, edged Avith red. Palms are Avell represented, 
including Licuala Mulleri, with five to ten finger-like segments. 
It. is of upright habit, and should make a useful decorative 
subject. One of the most graceful of the species of Phoenix 
is P. Iloeblini. 
Foliage plants of a different character are Billbergia nobilis 
(which is also a showy flowering plant), Polypodium iridioides 
ramo-oristatum, and P. eonjugatum, the two latter being Ferns 
of bold habit. The grey leaves and long, drooping stems of 
Ceropegia Woodii make a fine basket plant. All useful in their 
way are Peliosanthes Teata, Asparagus Sprengeri, Ficus fol- 
ca.ta, Davidsonia pruriens (the young leaves being of .a. beauti¬ 
ful red colour), Aloeasia macrorhiza variegata, Jocaranda 
miinosaefolia, and Cespedesia discolor, with the young leaves 
of a metallic pink hue and drooping. 
Flowering plants, in this house are represented by a, collec¬ 
tion of Anthurium scherzerianum, including Mine. Balliere, 
having a very large soft flesh-pink spathe. 
_ Some improvements are being effected amongst Gesnera car- 
dinalis. Two of them which we noted were G. c. Calypso, 
having rose flowers spotted with crimson, and G. Devallii, 
crimson. A very uncommon liliaceous bulb from tropical 
Africa is Drimiopsis Kirkii, with white flowers and the leaves 
blotched with olive. 
The economic house of tropical plants is a little botanic 
garden in itself, considering the large number of different 
species which it contains, of some economical purpose or other. 
For instance, we noted the Liberian Coffee Tree, the .Silk 
Cotton Tree, a kind of spice known as Eugenia Pimenta, the 
Fiddle-wood, Triplrasia. trifoliataj allied to the Oranges, and 
many other subjects too numerous to' mention here. In one 
part of the house was a collection of Caladiums, also Anthu¬ 
rium Harrisii pulchrum, with grey marbled leaves. A very 
handsome Palm is Calamus cinnamomum, with arching 
feathery leaves, but the' leaf-stalks are - very spiny, and must 
be carefully handled. 
The large conservatory at the entrance will have a tine effect 
presently as the Tree Ferns are throwing up their young crowns 
of leaves'. They include a number of the best species with st xit 
stems, such as the majestic-looking Cyathea dealbata. Many 
of the large Cycads are also grown in tubs and conveniently 
arranged in this house. One is surprised that these old-world 
looking subjects' can be grown in so cool a house and make 
such tine foliage. 
Anemone Pulsatilla. 
This remarkably beautiful Wind-flower is in some perfection 
this season on the Chi Items in the vicinity of Tring. 
British wild flowers, as Avell as cultivated ones, are display¬ 
ing an unusual abundance of bloom this year, due no doubt 
to the copious supply of moisture they received during 1903 ; 
and this rare and richly-coloured wilding is no exception'to the 
rule. The Pasque-flower, as it is often called, seems to have 
reference to its flowering at Easter, but this is only likely to 
occur on wind-swept downs Avlien Easter is late and spring 
early. However, just, now it is a very gratifying sight to see 
this plant in all its glory in. one of its native habitats. This 
gratification in my case is due to my friend Mr. Spencer, of 
Watford, Avith Avhoni I had the pleasure of a ramble on the 
7th inst. I have hunted for it on two or three occasions 
before at different places on tills range of hills, hut Avithout 
previous success* A photograph was attempted in situ, but 
thei weather was prohibitive', and for the first time I recognised 
that there might be something in its name—Anemone—indi¬ 
cative of its characteristics. Anyhow, the attempt was a 
failure to do justice to its beauty and surroundings, for Boreas 
created quite a. little hurricane at the time. Some flowers, 
however, 4 were secured for home use, and from these I managed 
to obtain a permanent and pleasing record. A. Pulsatilla is 
not often seen in cultivation, although it is thriving fairly well 
on the rockery in Kew Gardens, as is likeAvise a variety known 
as lilacina. The species, however, is by far the richer-looking 
of the two, although it seems to be less vigorous. As this 
plant grows on dry, chalky uplands, some elevated position 
would seem to be necessary to enable it to produce its large, 
dull Adolet-blue, campanulate flowers. These are thrown Avell 
up above the much-cut foliage, and are additionally interest¬ 
ing by reason of the spreading hoars of the silky involucre. 
These hairy appendages are also predominant on the external 
segments of the flower* and thus impart a softness and richness 
to this plant which renders it. of striking and peculiar beauty. 
C. B. G. 
[A figure of this rare, interesting, and beautiful British plant 
Avas given in The Gardening World, Vol. XX., p. 225.— 
Ed.] 
The Little Qparto Shakespeare. Among the many editions 
of Shakespeare which are obtained at a low price, that issued 
by the Methuens under the title of The Little Quarto Shake¬ 
speare holds a high place for neatness and portability. Hie 
size of each volume is 3f in. by 3 in., and they are so light that 
eight go to the pound. Quite a. number of the plays liaAV already 
been issued, the last two being “ Henry IV., Part I.,” and 
“ Henry IV., Part II.” 
