January 7, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
15 
Plants Recently Certificated 
By the Royal Horticultural Society. 
January 3rd. 
Orchid Committee. 
Cypripedium Alcibiades. 
The parentage of this hybrid was C. leeanum giganteum 
crossed with another hybrid. The dorsal sepal is of large 
size, orbicular and white shaded with rose on the back, which, 
thus shows through the white ; the base is greenish-yellow, the 
colour radiating on to the white, and spotted with blackish- 
purple. Along the white central portion these spots are more 
decidedly purple. The petals are yellow, tinted brown, and 
finely speckled with purple at the base. The lip is also clouded 
with brown overlying yellow. Award of Merit to Captain 
G. Holford, Tetbury, Gloucester. 
Cypripedium Jerningliamiae. 
The parentage of this hybrid is unknown, but may be C. 
villosum var. and C. spicerianum. Some would include C. 
Druryi in the parentage The first named in some of its forms 
is evident. The dorsal sepal is blackish-maroon along the 
centre, giving place to green veins on either side of the dark 
centre, and having broad white margins. The petals are 
obovate, much waved along the upper edge and overlaid by 
a rich dark coppeiy brown, as if varnished, and edged with 
yellow. The midrib of the petals gives evidence of a violet 
shade. The lip is shining coppery-brown, edged with yellow. 
Francis Wellesley, Esq., Westfield Common, near Woking. 
Cypripedium westfieldense. 
The parentage of this hybrid was C. leeanum x pollettia- 
num superbum. The obovate dorsal sepal is large and richly 
spotted with dark purple over almost the entire surface, on a 
white ground colour, the base being yellow. The spots are 
very small and in places are arranged in lines. The midrib 
throughout is crimson-purple. The petals are of a rich dark 
shining brown, except on the edges ; their upper edges are very 
wavy. The lip is also very dark, and evidently has a tint of 
purple, with a yellow line round the edge of the pouch, 
Award of Merit to Francis Wellesley, Esq. 
Chrysanthemum Market Gold. 
The blooms of this market variety are evidently of the in¬ 
curved Japanese class, or would be if disbudded and fully de¬ 
veloped. As grown for decorative purposes they are 3 in. to 
5 in. in diameter, with broad clear yellow florets, and slightly 
paler on the reverse. Award of Merit to Lord Aldenham (gar¬ 
dener Mr. E. Beckett), Aldenham House, Elstree. 
Trade Notices. 
Messrs. Webb’s Spring Catalogue. 
With the new year comes the well got up catalogue of 
Messrs. Webb and Sons, the Roj-al Seed Establishment, Words- 
ley, Stourbridge. It is practically a manual of 151 pages, in¬ 
cluding a full index. Vegetables and flowers are abundantly 
represented, practically on every page of the catalogue. There 
are very representative pictures of Webb’s Cabbages, includ¬ 
ing a new one named Leader, an early variety for spring- 
sowing. Cauliflowers, Onions, Peas, Tomatos, and Potatos are 
also* abundantly fig-ured with excellent illustrations. Those 
who are on the outlook for novelties will find a good Marrow¬ 
fat Pea in Surprise, being sent out for the first time. Other 
two prolific varieties are Leader and Pioneer, both of them 
novelties. Amongst the flowers the illustrations are too 
numerous to mention, but some of them show the trials of 
annuals as conducted at Kinver, while others show florists’ 
flowers in the houses at Wordsley. Special and interesting sub¬ 
jects receive fuller attention by the representation of a bunch 
of flowers or even a plant of sufficiently large size' to show the 
general habit of the plant or the special features of the flower. 
Descriptions accompany each of the flowers or plants now 
offered. 
Mr. Henry Eckford’s Catalogue. 
The Sweet Pea specialist, Mr. Henry Eckford, of Wum, 
Shropshire, sends out a general catalogue of seeds, fL ..< i ■ -1 
vegetables. Naturally a considerable amount of attention i 
given to the Sweet Peas which he has been so instrumental ii 
bringing before the public within the last decade or two. 
Novelties for 1905 are not particularly numerous, but we note 
three of the giant tj-pes named respectively Romolo Piazzani, 
Black Michael, and David R. Williamson. The first-named is 
described as almost a true blue self, while the last-named is 
also a blue of different shades. It is almost needless to men¬ 
tion the novelties of 1904, as they were so prominently brought 
to the front during the last year and the one previous by the 
show of the National Sweet Pea Society. Novelties of previous 
years are also listed, extending back to 1900, while the general 
collection is classified according to colour. 
Messrs. Peed’s Seed Catalogue. 
The seed catalogue for this year sent out by Messrs. John 
Peed and Son, Roupell Park Nurseries, West Norwood, S.E., 
is well got up in stiff white covers. The paper is also good 
throughout, so that the very ample descriptions given of each 
variety of vegetable or flower contained in it can easily be 
read, notwithstanding the moderate size of the type. It is 
scarcely necessary to mention the contents of the list, seeing 
that all sections of the garden are catered for, including 
flowers, vegetables, arid Potatos. Culinary Peas include such 
new varieties as The Pilot, King Edward VII., and British 
Empire. 
Mr. Sydenham’s Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
It is now well known to all Sweet Pea specialists that Mr. 
Robert Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham, is a great lover 
of the Sweet Pea, and has given it much attention for many 
years past. Seven of his favourites are represented by a 
coloured plate. His catalogue also contains a large amount of 
information relating to the different subjects which he offers 
and their cultivation. He is not very warmly in favour of 
novelties, but is content to wait developments in this line. At 
the same time he makes a point of including all the standard 
varieties which are worthy of general cultivation. The seeds 
which he offers may therefore be termed a rigid selection. 
Mr. Roemer’s Novelties. 
In a catalogue of flower and garden seeds sent out by Mr. 
Frederick Roemer, Quedlinburg, Germany, we notice a number 
of novelties in florist and other flowers. We may state that 
he devotes great attention to this branch of the business, 
although we quote from a catalogue which contains all that 
is choice amongst flower-seeds raised in Germany. Omitting, 
then, the general collection of flowers, we note several new 
types of Chinese Aster, one of which is named Dwarf Comet 
Perfection Aster, which has white flowers, changing to azure 
blue. This shows that the Comet Aster which recently came 
to the front is still being developed into fresh forms, differing 
either in the colour of the flowers or in the height and habit, 
of the plant. Giant Comet Aster is another acquisition, having 
reddish-lilac flowers with a white centre. Amongst China 
Asters we may state that this type 1 holds the same relation to 
the ordinary forms as the Japanese Chrysanthemum does to 
the other forms of the favourite autumn flower. There are 
also novelties amongst Antirrhinums, Aquilegias, fibrous- 
rooted Begonias, Dahlias, Sunflowers, Forget-me-Nots. some 
very handsome varieties suitable for bedding purposes having 
been raised in the last named in German nurseries. We refer 
to beautiful varieties of Myosotis alpestris. The latest acquisi¬ 
tion is one named Silver Queen Avith Avhite flowers. This 
catalogue is printed in English. 
Messrs. J. K. King and Sons’ Manual of Gardening. 
We have just received the “ Manual of Gardening for 1905 
issued by Messrs John K. King and Sons, the King's seed 
growers by Royal sealed warrant, of Coggeshall and Reading, 
and it is a book we can recommend every owner of si garden 
to procure. In a tersely written “ personal message to their 
clients, Messrs. John K. King and Sens refer to it as their 112tli 
issue, and they modestly refer to the fact that from a com- 
