April 1, 1905 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
263 
Astilbe Davidii. 
For many years past the Astilbes grown .in gardens were 
characterised by white or creamy-white Howers, though A. 
chinensis had pink flowers. A. Davidii certainly has the 
greatest intensity of colour of any we have yet seen, while it. 
is at die same time a stately plant, with beautiful foliage and 
perfectly hardy. It belongs to the Saxifrage order, and pos¬ 
sessing the characteristics of that it is distinct from the genus 
Spiraea, in which many horticulturists would fain place it. 
In the mass the flowers are often described as rich purple 
or violet-purple, but we propose to make a little analysis of 
the parts showing where the deepest colour resides. The small 
sepals are deep pink, while the linear, slender petals are paler 
pink, and in the mass serve to give the flowers a fluffy or 
feathery appearance. The anthers are violet, and, owing to 
their great numbers and prominence, they have a decided effect 
upon the appearance of the flowers when seen from a little 
distance. Here, then, we get the richest shade of colour in 
the anthers which affects the appearance of the flowers as seen 
in the mass. 
The plant itself may be compared to Spiraea Aruncus, an 
old garden jilant. of great beauty, and with which many gar¬ 
deners are familiar. The new comer is more elegant and 
stately, however, owing to the fact that the much-divided leaves 
are crowded together towards the base of the stems, while the 
flowering portion stands clear above the foliage for a length 
of lj ft. to 2 ft. or more. From the main stems numerous 
short ascending branches are given off, each carrying its 
quota of flowers, so. that an inflorescence in the mass is nar¬ 
rowly pyramidal. As in other plants allied to this a well- 
drained but moist soil is most conducive to its welfare, and 
in proportion to the amount of free (not stagnant) water within 
reach of the roots, so will the plant thrive and attain a stately 
height. According to> the conditions under which it is placed 
and the age of the plants, they will vary from 3 ft. to 6 ft. 
in height. 
Cultivators might well bear in mind the beauty of such a 
subject if placed under suitable conditions with appropriate 
surroundings. A veiy fine effect can be produced by making 
a large bed of it in pleasure-grounds where the surface is undm 
lating, and either a stream or a pond is close by. Under these 
conditions and in properly prepared soil a whole bed of one 
colour can be planted, or a fine contrast could be produced by 
associating A. Davidii with some of the taller-growing, white- 
flowered species. The plant will also thrive in the ordinary 
herbaceous border if fairly deep and moist. Indeed, it is of 
the easiest cultivation, but"fully deserving of the best attention. 
T T,le species was introduced from Central China by Messrs. J. 
\ ei tch and Sons, King’s Road, Chelsea, who received a First- 
class Certificate for it when they brought the plant before the 
floyal Horticultural Society on August 5th. 1902. By the 
courtesy of the firm we are enabled to reproduce the illustra¬ 
tion of this stately and beautiful plant. 
Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. 
U lien well done, few plants can surpass this Begonia for 
wealth and beauty of flowers. Cuttings should be taken from 
t ie old stools about the middle of April, those comino- from 
the root being the best. They should be inserted in thumb 
pots filled with eocoanut fibre and silver sand and plunged in 
a brisk bottom heat and shaded from the strong sun. They 
will sqon take root, and when the pot is fairly filled with roots 
lev s lould be shifted into three-inch pots, using fibrous loam, 
eocoanut fibre, leaf mould, and silver sand. Pot lightly with 
t ie fingers : no potting stick should be used. They should be 
pm in a warm pit on a damp bottom and the house kept close 
a |* 1 am P and heavily shaded, as they delight in heat and 
S 3 ?' 7 . ie y soon make headway, and very soon will 
lequne shifting into five-inch pots. A little rougher soil can 
ie used for this shift, provided it is leafy. A little dry cow 
manure sifted through a quarter-inch sieve can be added. 
The plants will require to be staked now. Rut one -take, 
about eighteen inches long, in the centre of ■ .,. |. 
1,111 shoots loosely to Hi. stake as they grow. Keep all fl owt . r 
buds rubbed off, but on no account pinch the shoots. \\'|,, 
they have reached the t< p of tin stake they ■■ ill I.,- fairlj b 
plants, and some, ii not all, will require a shift into -■ ven in) 
pots. Use the same sort of compost as before, and again p< • 
lightly. A good stout stake about three and a half p i t loi,.. 
may now be slipped down the centre of each plant, care boin 
Astilbe Davidii. 
[ Veitch and Scms. 
taken not to damage the foliage. The first stake need not be 
taken out, merely slip the stout one carefully down the side 
of it. Attention will have to be given even - week to the dis¬ 
budding and tying of them. About three weeks before the 
plants are wanted to be in flower all the buds may be allowed 
to develop. They will stand a little feeding throughout the 
growing season, well diluted liquid manure from the farm¬ 
yard with a change of soot water, also well diluted, being the 
best. Begonias so treated will form handsome specimens, 
three and a half to four feet high and two to three feet 
through, with a mass of blooms from top to bottom. 
Nemo. 
