934 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
November 19, 1904. 
to us for Auld Scotia’si sake, we find even yet a. few bright 
sprigs that have not changed their ruddy hue for the brown 
of the withered bloom, and with a thrill of real affection a 
spray is transferred to the buttonhole of our coat. Yonder 
is a tiny stream, trickling down among bold and nagged rocks, 
and towards this we direct our steps, treading among a 
wealth of botanical treasures', most of which have now oeasied 
toi bloom, but in their season must have garbed the mountain 
in a robe of wondrous beauty. Arrived at the stream, what 
a sight there met our eyes! The banks and rocky ledges that 
ootlinei the watercourse were clothed in verdure of the loveliest 
shades of green, for Ferns abound in numbers and variety, such 
as constitute indeed a, grand collection. 
Spleen,worts and Athyriums of various forma and sizes 
nestled in shady nook®, while higher on the banks were healthy 
patches of our native Adiantum, Polypodies, and in a recess 
were lovely S colop endri urns. To name 1 all would be toi give 
a list of too great length for these notes', and some there 
were we did not know, and cannot trace in the only book 
we have just, now at hand. Perhaps ’tis, well; for the publi¬ 
cation of the whereabouts of a. rarity too often, proclaim^ 
its doom, and for that reason I refrain from naming another 
floral gem here, discovered .among the Heather, which I had 
believed to be about extinct. Flowers there were, as well as 
Ferns that had not spent quite all their beauty. The nodding 
flowers of the Harebell dangled on lengthened stalks' that 
had struggled through the Fern-fronds to gain the light, and 
the sweet beauty of the blue among the .green scouted the 
notion that these colours should not. be allowed to clash. 
Tumbling down, over rough ledges were wild Strawberries, 
still displaying both flowers and unripened fruit, and a, tiny 
pink-flowered Poppy scattered its petals at the touch of our 
clumsy fingers. Primulas', Violas, Lychnis and flowers in 
great variety proved by the seed-laden stems they still retained 
they had not been: idle in their season; and Helianthemums 
have made good growth in readiness for next year’s display. 
The summit of the mountain was in very truth a rock- 
garden, beside which the best of our poor imitations are poor 
indeed, and to me it wa.si a great object lesson, pointing out 
the principle we should strive to follow in the construction of 
our foster-homes for alpine plants; and I thought, as I beheld, 
it would bei well for every gardener to get a glimpse of such 
natural gardens as abound on the mountains' of our land. 
Heather Bell. 
Platytheca galioides. 
This' member of the natural order Train andraceae, some¬ 
times known as Tetratheca verticillata, was introduced from 
Australia in the year 1845. 
Notwithstanding its somewhat scrambling habit, I think it 
may be classed a,s one of our most useful flowering hard- 
wooded greenhouse plants, having the advantage of being an 
almost perpetual bloomer. It makes very slender growths, 
and the small linear leaves are disposed in whorls, being 
slightly hairy and bright green,. The flowers are produced' on 
rather long pedicels, of a rich violet blue, in colour. 
The treatment of Platytbecas is. similar in many respects to. 
that which is adopted for Ericas ; they require an airy situa¬ 
tion, and should be subject to as little fire-heat, as: possible; 
damp and mildew may be warred against during the winter 
months by a. free circulation of air. In a compost consisting 
of two parts peat, one of good fibrous loam, with the addition 
of a liberal amount of sand and a. little charcoal, I have found 
from my own experience that this' particular class of plants' 
thrive remarkably well; careful attention as to watering 
should at all times be exercised. 
Increase of stock may be readily effected by cuttings' in¬ 
serted 1 in finely sifted peat and sand, and placed under a. bell- 
glass. The old plants, after flowering, require cutting back 
to within a few joints of the old wood. F. G-. T. 
Fidler’s Record Potato. 
Many new varieties of Potatos were launched upon the 
market, during last spring, all of which were to set up records 
in some form or other. 
From the various reports it is evident that we must not 
look to Eldorado, for sensation, for most growers' are agreed 
that, the shoots grown on in pots early in the year are proving 
practically failures!; and Vermont Gold Coin: has shown 
disease in the leaf, although phenomenal crops have been lifted 
from, plants where proper sets were planted. 
The variety under notice, however, should make a record for 
size, for a® grown from single-eyed sets, tubers upwards of 
llr lb, are frequent in, ordinary soil, I recently saw a small 
Colletia CRUCIATA. (See p. 931.) 
batch of Record lifted, and although disease was apparent in 
the haulm, no had tubers came to light. 
One hill produced three large and typical tubers and several 
average-sized ones. The trio, weighed 4 lb., and, considering 
their bulk, were, not really ugly specimens. 
The tubers are thick and blunt-emded kidneys, with rather 
more than) the number of eyes that epicures desire. 
The skin is nearly white; in fact. Record might be White 
Beauty when in its early prime. 
The haulm is fairly vigorous, and not unlike the Beauty 
type, being paler than some sorts. The flower is white, but 
'seed fails to set. 
Like' many mid-season and maim-crop. sorts, both new and 
old, Record was making new sprouts from, the tubers when 
lifted'. 
This cannot, however, be considered a fault, of the variety 
as the drought checked all varieties, causing a second growth i 
The cooking qualities of Record is much like Chas. Fidler 
making it a variety worthy of retaining for home purposes. 
T. 
Berberis japonica is already flowering with unusual freedom 
for this period of the year. Practically all the plants in the 
nursery of Mr. John Russell, Richmond, Surrey, are flowering. 
The Duke of Bedford's Fruit Farm, Ridgmont, was tlirowi 
open to the public on the 5th inst., and this departure was 
greatly appreciated. 
