884 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 5. 1904. 
them out of the house. If not already done cut a,way all 
unripe spray growth from climbers in order to admit full air 
and light to them and the plant® beneath. 
Eucharis amazonica. — In order to have an abundance of 
these flowers in the dull days of winter, when: they are doubly 
appreciated, it is necessary that a batch should have been, 
partially rested ere this by lessening the supply of water’ and 
keeping them in cooler’ quarters. Such may now be placed in 
a heated pit or house and restarted into growth. If the 
drainage is free and open and the plants healthy, there need 
be little fear of overwatering; indeed the best house of 
Eucharis that has come under my notice had the water applied 
most copiously both at the roots and overhead, also damping 
the paths and stages several times a day. 
If procurable, rain-water should be used, and it should be 
lukewarm. When in active growth the plants will be much 
benefited by occasional applications of soot-water and liquid 
manure given alternately. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Some Ornamental Thorns. —.The common or British Thom 
or Hawthorn, Crataegus Oxyaeantha, is one of the best known 
of our native shrubs, and 1 is always admired when clothed with 
its; great quantities of flowers early in the year, or when carry¬ 
ing innumerable quantities of fruits, as at the present time. 
It is surprising that, considering bow much this species is 
appreciated, other species and varieties 'are not more generally 
planted, as many of them can rank with the best of flowering 
shrubs, and many are now the most attractive objects in the 
shrubbery. The Thoms will succeed in practically every kind 
of soil, except that which is water-logged, and after becoming 
established they need but little attention beyond sufficient 
pruning to prevent them becoming straggling or unshapely. 
The varieties of Oxyaeantha are often grown: as mop-headed 
sp'ecimems, and the growth has annually to be pruned hard 
back to the old wood after enough wood has been formed to 
make a good bead. There are* several varieties of this well- 
known shrub', of which the following are among the best : — 
C. Oxyaeantha rosea,, rose-coloured, as the name implies; C. 
0. punioeia plena,, with very large double flowers of the richest, 
crimson; C. 0. multiplex, fine double white; C. 0. folii-s, argen- 
teis, with white', pink and green foliage, and one of the most) 
striking shrubs I know; C 1 . 0. praeoox, the Glastonbury 
Thorn; and C. 0. leeana, a, very distinct form both in foliage 
and flower. 
C. Pyracantha, the Fiery Thorn, and it® two varieties, are 
unsurpassed asi wall shrub®, all being evergreens, and are 
among the most beautiful berried shrub® in, cultivation. As 
specimens in the shrubbery they are also of great service', but 
it is vdien clothing a, wall and carrying such numbers of scarlet 
berries a® to almost hidei the foliage that they are seen, to the 
best advantage. The varieties are Lelandi and crenulata. 
C. coccinsa. — This' North American, specie® is one of the 
most attractive, with pure white flowers and bright pink 
anthers, which are succeeded by bright, red fruits. The foliage 
also asisumes autumn tints of pale red. The variety of this 
named macracanitha is interesting, inasmuch as- it carries very 
long thorns,, probably the longest of the Crataegus family. 
The Cockspur Thorn (C. C'rusi-Galli) and its' several varieties 
are all worthy of cultivation. The branches are beset, with 
strong, curved spine®, and carry clusters of flowers usually pure 
white in early summer, succeeded by large quantities of scarlet 
fruit®. The best we grow in this section; are : Carrierii, Layii, 
prunifolia, and splendems, the last-named being a particularly 
desirable form. 
C. orientals, the Eastern, Thorn, is one of the most distinct, 
both in flower and fruit, the latter being produced freely in 
clusters, and clothed with a hairy tomentum. The' foliage is 
also, very showy on account of its silvery-white colour. This 
forms a, low, spreading tree, and is perhaps seen to the best 
advantage when, planted on the gras®. 
C. flava or glandulosa and its variety subvillesa are chiefly 
desirable on account of their large-flowering qualities, the 
flowers being pure white and very showy. 
A little-known species is C. chlorosarca,, which, though it has 
not flowered yeti with us-, stands out conspicuously as one of 
the best. It has large, pleasing foliage, and after this has 
fallen the buds and bark cannot fail to be admired. These 
are a, rich purplish-red in colour, quite distinct from anything 
else. 
C. tanacetifolia and it® variety glabra, both have very distinct 
leafage, are late-flowering, and generally carry an. abundance 
of fruit. I must not, omit to mention, C. Crus-Galli horrida, 
which is one of the most distinct and seen to the best advan¬ 
tage in winter, when the stems are' bare. It produces from 
each joint large quantities' of very sharp thorns in bunches on 
the old and young wood, which are the principal feature, and 
the shrub' is worth growing for these alone. Other desirable 
varieties one might, mention are': cordata, tomeoto®a, melano- 
carpa and nigra. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Winter Flowers: the Cyclamen. 
Decidedly “ in the first, three ” comes this “ Alpine Violet 
as one of the best flowering plants for winter work. We see 
its beautifully graceful and showy blooms' less than we do 
because of the supposed difficulty of cultivation, and because 
of this somewhat popular but erroneous idea, we would call 
attention to the few simple but necessary conditions to obtain 
well-flowered plants. 
First comes the fact that one-year -plants are preferable bo 
old conns, and that,‘when growing these, from the seedling up, 
the plant should] never receive in any way a check to its growth. 
The soil—an important item in successful cultivation— 
should be of a. quite open nature, three parts of turfy loam, 
one part leaf-soil, and one part, thoroughly rotted manure. 
The addition of a small quantity of charcoal tends to its per¬ 
fection. 
The seed, to hasten germination, is best soaked for twenty- 
four hours', and should be thinly sown or “dib-bed” into pans 
of soil of a. still lighter nature than the one we have just 
mentioned. 
On the appearance of the second leaf the plantlets are potted 
into; thumb or 2-in. pots, remaining until some three more 
leaves appear, when the young plants' receive another shift 
into 3-in. pots, which operation, being performed about the 
month of March should bring the plants ready for their final 
move in May or June. 
Early sowing in August, or even in, July are: spoke® in, the 
wheel of success, although some growers sow a® late as mid¬ 
winter. 
Temperature in the early stage® should be moist and of an 
even, comfortable beat of, say, 65 deg. to 70 deg., but during 
the final' growth® a, cooler temperature produces the fine 
leathery leaves and vigour which bring the finest flowers ; 
indeed, some of the finest plant® being cultivated in well- 
ventilated, shaded pits during the summer months, the light® 
being removed towards the end of the season, when the dews 
help to strengthen the growing plants. 
With the finished article in, September we have a prize more 
than paying for the year's care, and a. sight such as six house® 
150 ft. long, a, mass of flower grown chiefly for seed, such as 
seen, at Messrs. Hugh Low and Co.’s, nurseries last winter, con¬ 
vinces, one of the truly magnificent qualities, of this lovely 
flower, the various forms of scented varieties vieing with the 
strains of giganteum to charm one. 
As a florist’s, flower the Cyclamen ha® been little used, but 
the West-end florists have set the fashion of using the beautiful 
blooms for table decoration, wreath and other work. 
After being pulled and stems cut the latter should be placed 
in water for a few hours, and when so treated the flowers stand 
well ; lienee its' growing popularity. L. J. C. 
