March 4. 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
187 
Erica mediterranea hybrida. 
SOCIETIES. 
The other week we noted a strangely sported form 
of Cyclamen Coum album amongst the hardy alpine 
plants of Messrs. George Jackman and Son, Woking, 
Surrey. The peculiarity about the flowers "was that 
they consisted of seven to eight segments, each with 
a deep violet-purple blotch at the base. The form 
of the flower reminded us very much of what occurs 
in the greenhouse Cyclamen when termed double, only the 
flowers were very much smaller in agreement with this hardy 
form. The segments of the corolla were not reflexed, as is 
customary, but spread out horizontally in the form of a wheel, 
the blotches not being united in a. ring or zone, but all 
separate, giving the flower a distinct and interesting appea r- 
ance. It would be premature to say that this sport will be 
constant, as it turned up, we believe, in a bed of seedlings of 
the ordinary white variety of C. Coum. There is no reason 
why it should not remain constant, however, as all the flowers 
upon this plant were alike. Should this prove to be the case, 
it would be worth while raising seedlings from it which might 
irive rise to others flower's of different form, and possibly give 
blooms of larger size than the type. 
Sutton s Superlative Potato. —Messrs. Sutton and Sons 
nice generously presented 14 lbs. of this famous novelty to the 
- ational Potato Society for its various trials stations. 
BAKERIANA : AN EARLY FLOWERING BULBOUS IRIS. (Seep. 179.) 
considered as a whole, it may justly claim to have been the 
finest Rose show ever held in any part of the world. The 
weather previous to the exhibition was throughout a great part 
of the country very favourable, while the fixture, July '6th, 
proved singularly well timed, bearing in mind that during June 
and the early part of July the season was a somewhat backward 
one. The arrangements connected with the show were, on the 
whole, very satisfactory. This was in a great measure due to 
the experienced staff of the Royal Horticultural Society having 
been again so generously placed at the disposal of the com¬ 
mittee on the show day by the president and council of that 
society. 
In order to maintain the general interest in this, the leading 
Rose show of the year, several new features are annually intro¬ 
duced. These appear to have been much appreciated, especially 
by the visitors, who were more numerous than at either of the 
two previous exhibitions held by the society in the Temple 
Gardens. 
Although a provincial show was not held tins year in the 
North of England, no break was allowed to take place in the 
long series of interesting competitions for the society's two 
Jubilee Cliallenge Trophies, which were, with the consent of the 
committee, competed for instead at the Bath Rose Show on 
July 14th. 
It had often been proposed that the committee should hold 
an exhibition in September, in order to bring before the public 
A Sportive Cyclamen. 
{See Supplement.) 
Various opinions have been expressed with regard to this 
liardv Heath, hut no one who has seen it in good form 
has ever said anything against its value for garden decoration. 
Considerable doubt has existed with regard to its origin, 
tliou'di it is claimed to have turned up spontaneously in the 
nursery of the late Mr. Arrow Smith, at Darley Dale. The 
opinion entertained with regard to it is that it is a hybrid 
between E. mediterranea and E. carnea. Until this is proved 
or disproved by artificial crossing we suppose it will come to 
bo regarded generally as a mere variety of E. mediterranea, 
and a very tine one. Its chief value lies in the fact that it 
comes into bloom somewhat in advance of E. carnea, and 
keeps on for a similar period of time. 
The flowers are urceolate or pitcher-shaped, rich rosy- 
purple, and produced in great abundance all along 
die shoots made during the previous season. Our 
supplement on this occasion represents a very large 
circular bed on the grass near King William’s Temple, 
in the Royal Gardens, Kew. The situation is a 
cool one, but the bed had previously to planting 
been prepared for the requirements of plants be¬ 
longing to the Heath family. 
The bed began to become conspicuous in the first 
week of January, and is now in full perfection. The 
photograph was taken about the middle of that 
month, and practically before the flowers had 
reached their best. We give this as an example 
bow hardy Heaths may be employed in gardens. 
When grown in such quantity as here represented 
quantities of cut flowers, if such were required, would 
never be missed from the bed. 
The plants are about 12 in. to 15 in. high, and 
may always he kept at that height if so desired by 
cutting off the tops of the shoots just after the 
flowers cease to be effective. Fresh shoots for next 
year’s flowering will then be produced. Not only 
is the plant perfectly hardy, but the flowers do not 
seem to he affected in any way either by frost or 
snow. They also keep their appointed time or very 
nearly the same time every year. 
NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. 
Report of the Committee for the Year 1904. 
Adopted by the Annual General Meeting on December 8iii 
LAST. 
The report which the committee have now the pleasure of 
presenting must, in. their opinion, be regarded as the most 
favourable that has yet been placed before the members, for 
there is not a single branch of the work undertaken by the 
society which does not show during tile past year a distinct 
advance. 
The Metropolitan Exhibition, which again took place bj tlic 
kind permission of the Benchers in the Temple Gardens, was 
one of the largest, and certainly the most varied and interest¬ 
ing, the society has yet held, while the average quality of the 
exhibits was at the same time exceptionally good. in fact, 
