156 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
February 25, 1905. 
easily in the open ground by using suitable pots, tubs, or boxes 
with the aid of gentle heat created by leaves and long litter, 
and the quality of both is generally much better than that 
taken up and forced. 
bow on mild hot-beds, for choice in frames which have been 
occupied for forcing Asparagus, small quantities of early 
1 urnips, Globe Beet, Spinach, if the outside crop is short, 
and successional sowings of Carrots, also Celery. 
Vegetable Marrows. —Few vegetables are more highly appre¬ 
ciated early than these, and none that I am acquainted with 
is more remunerative. Seeds of Moore’s Cream and Prince 
Albert should be sown singly in 60-size pots, raised in heat, 
and planted out on mild hot-beds when ready. 
E. Beckett. 
Aldeuham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Rhododendrons. —V here beds of these are grown—and few 
shrubs are more handsome when massed in the pleasure 
grounds—it is necessary to annually give them a top-dressing 
to enable them to maintain their vigour and give a good dis¬ 
play of dower. For this purpose a mixture of Rhododendron 
peat and well-decayed leaf-soil in equal proportions, with a 
liberal addition of road sand, will suit their requirements, but 
if the firstrnamed 'ingredient is not obtainable, some good turfy 
loam may be substituted, but in this case leaf-soil °should be 
more largely used. the material should be well mixed 
together and strewn over the surface but not forked in. 
Although this tine class of shrubs are peat-loving subjects, it 
is not at all necessary for the soil to be of a, peaty nature to 
grow the common varieties successfully, and it is quite a mis¬ 
taken idea to imagine that they will not grow on heavy soils. 
In soil of a loamy character or even heavy clay, providing it is 
not in a very dry situation, they will grow freely. This should 
be well worked before planting, and if decayed leaves are 
obtainable they should be worked in. We have planted the 
ponticum varieties somewhat largely in pure yellow clay, and 
I may sav the results do not leave much to be desired. In 
the woodland, for covert, purposes, or under the shade of larger 
trees, where many shrubs would prove a failure, they are 
admirably suited. Beds of Azaleas and Andromedas should 
also receive a top-dressing of the material, as advised for Rho¬ 
dodendrons. 
Erica carnea. —As an edging for beds of the above shrubs 
or any which are grown in a peaty soil, there are few subjects 
which surpass this charming shrub. It commences, in mild 
winters, to flower soon after Christmas, and the bright red 
flowers continue in perfection for a long time. This Erica 
seldom exceeds more than 6 in. in height, and, being of compact 
growth, a very neat edging is formed. It can be left for years 
without replanting, but should the plants become at all strag¬ 
gling, they can be clipped into shape with the shears, and hand- 
pruning may be done occasionally with advantage after the 
flowering period. 
Amygdalus davidiana alba. -Although this splendid Chinese 
shrub was awarded a First-class Certificate in 1892, it is still 
quite uncommon and is seldom seen. In a mild winter the 
pure white dowers commence to expand at the end of January, 
but it is fully three weeks or a month before the shrub appears 
at its best. The dowers are generally produced in pairs along 
the whole length of the branches with the greatest freedom, 
and a fair-sized specimen is rendered very conspicuous. It 
will succeed in the majority of soils, and needs a light pruning 
annually, especially if one has pyramid-shaped specimens. This 
is one of the handsomest of early dowering trees, and it is 
surprising one does not see it, more frequently used. There is 
a good rose-coloured form, but this does not dower with nearly 
so much freedom. 
Berberis japonica. —This is another early dowering shrub 
of much merit when it is well grown, and though it does not 
succeed in all parts of the country, yet, in all but the coldest 
districts if its requirements are studied it should prove a 
valuable addition to the shrubbery. As the name implies it, 
hails from Japan, is evergreen, and carries large quantities of 
deep yellow dowers in long racemes at the tips of the strono- 
growths. These are now in full beauty, and the pale <meen 
foliage, which consists of between six and nine leaflets is 
always veiy ornamental. This shrub likes a deep, well- 
drained loam in a sunny position, and must be protected from 
cold north and north-east winds, and if the soil is sliriitlv 
moist so much the better. Little or no pruning is required 
unless the habit becomes somewhat straggling, when this can 
be remedied by cutting the growths hard back. In veiy drv 
weatker good soakings of water should be given occasionally. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. A. E. Thatcher. 
Cynorchis lowiana. 
The species of Cynorchis are terrestrial, and therefore seldom 
seen amongst cultivators -where epiphytical Orchids are best 
understood. C. lowiana is unusually bright in colour, and has 
four to six dowers on a scape 12 in. to 14 In. in height., The 
dorsal sepal is hooded and nearly hides the petals, which arc 
darker in colour. The lateral sepals are whitish and bv no 
means conspicuous. The frhree-lobed lip is of large size and 
deep rose, with a carmine spot at the base of the divisions. 
The middle lobe is again shallowly divided, which gives the 
lip a four-lobed aspect. The plant produces two leaves, which 
are lanceolate, 3 in. to 5 in. in length, and of a deep green. A 
plant has been dowering for some time past in one of the warm 
divisions of the Orchid house at Kew, where it has been excit¬ 
ing a considerable amount of attention amongst visitors, owing 
to the distinct habit of the plant, its engaging colours, and the 
totally different appearance from the rest of the Orchids on all 
sides of it. It is quite of recent introduction, and one of the 
prettiest we have seen in the genus. 
Early Flowering Rhododendrons. 
Though the Rhododendrons which blossom out of doors ii| 
January, February, and the early part of March cannot by any 
means be compared -with those that bloom in May and June, 
and though the dowers have very often to pay for their 
temerity by being spoiled by a night’s frost, they are still ven¬ 
tlight and cheerful-looking when they do manage to escape 
frost, and are admired quite as much as their showier relatives 
Avhich appear at a later date, but at a time when the garden 
abounds with flow'ens on every side. These early blossoming 
ones contain several species and varieties. 
The drst dowers to appear are those- of R. dauricum, a de¬ 
ciduous or semi-evergreeiij with rosy-purple- dowers from 
Dahuria, Mamdshuria and Sachalin. There is a variety called 
atrovirens with evergreen leaves. Both blossom in January. 
Another small-leaved, purple-dowered species is R. parvifolium 
from Siberia, China, etc. This blooms about the- middle of 
February, the dowers being borne two or four, or occasionally 
nlore, together. The next to open its blossoms is R. praecox, 
a showv hybrid raised mam' years aaro- by the late Mr. J. Davis, 
of Ormskirk, by crossing I!. ciliatum with R. dauricum. The 
dowers of this are 1J iu. across, produced in great profusion, 
and rose with a tinge of purple in colour. R, nobleanum, also 
a hybrid, but this time of the larger-growing section, was 
raised by crossing R. arbore-um with R. caucasicum. It forms 
a large bush 12 ft. to 15 ft. high, and bears small, dense 
trusses of bright red dowers in quantity. R. fulgens is a tall 
grower from Nepal and Sikkim. It has oval leaves covered 
with brown felt on the under-side, and bears small dense trusses 
of good-sized crimson or blood-red, waxy-textured blossoms in 
March. R. nobleanum and R. praeeox are well worth growing 
for the sake of their good forcing qualities, for with little 
trouble they may be had in flower shortly after Christmas, 
while a little additional heat in December causes the dowers 
to open about Christmas-time. W. D. 
