78 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 28, 1905. 
Colchicum Steveni. 
The best-known species of Meadow Saffron is the common 
autumn-flowering one often seen in the grass or shrubberies 
during September, and occasionally as a curiosity flowering 
from the conn without either soil or water. Amongst the 
inown forms, however, different species keep up a succession 
at various times during the winter and spring, lliat under 
notice usually commences to bloom in December or early in 
January, and is now at its best in the Alpine House at Kew. 
It must be understood that no matter how hardy a plant is, 
no one could depend upon seeing it in perfection in the open 
air in this country, although occasionally in mild winters it 
might bloom to perfection. Under the conditions named, or 
in an unheated frame, the flowers are protected from the ill- 
effects of frost, rain or snow. It is so different from our 
autumn species that few would recognise it as belonging to the 
same genus. The flowers and leaves appear together, being 
much about the same height at flowering time. Each conn, 
popularly termed a bulb, gives rise to one to four flowers of 
a soft rosy-purple, sometimes shaded with white, the oblanceo- 
late segments forming the funnel-shaped blade of the flower 
varying from A in. to f in. in length. The slender white tube 
carries the flowers to a height of in. to '2\ in. above the 
soil, so that a pot or pan of plants is very pretty and interest¬ 
ing at this season of the year. The slender linear leaves are 
bright green and about the same length.as the flowers at the 
present time. The better-known species retains its leaves 
underground till spring, but they are of much larger size and 
altogether less interesting for pot culture, except occasionally. 
The species is a native of Syria and Arabia. 
Climbers for a Rustic Pergola. 
There are many beautiful subjects suitable for coaling a 
rustic pergola quickly, but as the soil (indicated by a constant 
reader) is of a light sandy nature, we would advise you to take 
out the soil where it is intended to plant, and replace with 
some better material, such as loam and well-decayed manure, 
as many climbers are gross feeders and need considerable 
nourishment to induce them to grow freely, of course seeing 
first that the drainage is in good order. Roses should be 
largely used, as nothing is more beautiful, and they soon cover 
a large space. You would And the following to be a good 
selection: —Dorothy Perkins, Pink Roamer, Crimson 
Rambler, Climbing mite Pet, Manda’s Triumph, Paul’s Car¬ 
mine Pillar, The Lyon, Evergreen Gem, Felicite Perpetue, 
Aglaia, Claire Jacquier, Electra, The Dawson, Queen Alex¬ 
andra, Thalia, Euphrosyne, rubrifolia, moschata alba, Belle 
Vichysoise, Psyche, The Garland, Leuchtstern, Una, Purple 
East, the Wallflower, Tea Rambler, Noella Nabonnand, 
Madame Plantier, Bennett’s Seedling, Myriantlies Ranoncule, 
gardeniflora, Francois Foucard, and Paul Franson. 
Clematis Jackmannii, C. montana, and C. Flammula should 
also be used. 
The ornamental Vines should also be used in quantity on 
account of their very handsome foliage, which colours highly 
in the autumn, but the existing soil would suit these, as the 
poorer the soil the better the colour. V. Thunbergii, V. Coig- 
nettiae, V. heterophylla dissecta, vinifera purpurea (which 
has purple leaves all through the season) and V. flexuosa 
major are all handsome. 
Polygonum baldschuanicum is very handsome and a rapid 
grower, also Aristolochia Sipho, with immense foliage, Wis¬ 
taria sinensis, Lonicera japonica, and its variety aureo-reti- 
eulata, Early Cream and Late Dutch, and sempervirens in 
the warmest spot. Periploca graeea should be placed on the 
shady side. Ampelopsis hederacea, A. Veitchii, and Actinidia 
arguta are suitable. Many of the Ivies are very handsome 
when treated in this way, especially the variegated forms. 
Some of the green forms also have fine foliage. A good selec¬ 
tion would be: Madeirensis variegata, roegneriana, variegata 
argentea, japonica argentea, maculata, atropurpurea, dentata, 
and himalaica. In a warm place, Ceanothus Gloire de Ver¬ 
sailles would be very fine. For the lower parts of the struc¬ 
ture and for tilling up between the larger growing varieties 
there are many exceedingly beautiful shrubs which can be 
used for the purpose with excellent results. 'These include 
Berberis stenophylla, Rubus delic-iosus, Viburnum macroce- 
phalum, Griselinia littoralis, Escallonia philippiana, E. lang- 
leyensis, E. Ingrami, Forsythia suspensa, Choisya ternata, 
Azara microphylla, Chimonanthus fragrans grandiflorus, 
Caryopteris Mastaeanthus, and any of the varieties of Cydonia 
japonica. 
For securing the growths to the rustic work, we would re¬ 
commend tying with tarred string instead of nailing, 
especially with Roses, which require a certain amount of prun¬ 
ing annually, as the sterns can then be undone much more 
easily, and when in growth present a more natural appearance. 
A. E. T. 
Salvias, 
At no time of the year do we find it more difficult to have a 
display of flowers than through the winter months, but the 
following includes a few varieties of Salvias which would be 
much appreciated for the effect they give, and can be had in 
flower from October onwards. 
Salvia Pitcheri (syn. S. azurea grandiflora) is one of the 
earliest. The colour of the flowers, which are produced from 
branching stems, is of azure blue. An increase of plants can 
be got by dividing up old stools or from cuttings. 
S. splendens Bruanti is much more dwarf, and flowers much 
brighter and produced in greater abundance than the old 
variety S. splendens. 
S. rutilans (Pineapple-scented) has foliage which is delight¬ 
fully fragrant; the habit is neat and graceful; flowers are of 
a lovely magenta colour, borne on pretty, neat spikes. 
S. leucantha is very free flowering, and has a woolly appear¬ 
ance ; the base of the tubes is of rosy-mauve; upper parts 
are pure white. 
S. Heeri produces long spikes of flowers, bright red, shaded 
orange colour, very free, foliage much broader; a useful 
variety. 
S. gesneraeflora, a good late species, somewhat resembles 
the Gesnera, and of a bright scarlet colour. 
Good specimens of all can be easily grown from cuttings in 
one season. 
Cuttings should be rooted in April. Potting, stopping and 
staking should be strictly attended to. The best place through 
the summer months is for them to stand on a bed of ashes in 
a sunny position, allowing plenty of room between each plant 
for their development. 
At the approach of frost remove them to where they are 
safely protected, and eventually give them their permanent 
quarters in the greenhouse or conservatory as they come into 
flower, where they will repay for the labour bestowed upon 
them. F. D. 
The Lyon Leek. 
As an exhibition Leek there are few if any varieties that 
can give points to a good strain of the Lyon. Like all other 
vegetables, it is useless to expect a certain type to be kept 
true except by rigid selection, and if this is not done you may 
expect ribbed, bulb-headed, or loose growth from many of the 
plants, and disappointment follows. A very popular strain of 
the Lyon in Scotland at the present time is that grown by 
Mr. Pitt, of Eccles, Kelso, and has won many prizes, including 
that of the late Chrysanthemum Show in Edinburgh. Mr. Pitt 
is an enthusiastic amateur, and has done much to popularise 
Leek growing by the distribution of his select strain. 
James Gibson. 
