May 27, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
435 
after the last Chino-Japanese war they had been again called 
upon to tight against a certain Power for their national exist¬ 
ence, as well as for securing permanent peace in the Far East; 
but he (Mr. Hayashi) sincerely hoped that the conclusion of 
this terrible war would bring the much-desired peace in the 
East, in which case their horticulture would not be slow in 
reaping the fruits of such a millennium.” He then described 
the work of the Japanese agricultural, horticultural, and 
special dower (such as the Chrysanthemum, Rose, and Primula) 
societies, and of the fruit, dwarf trees, and other societies. 
He gave a short account of the vegetables of Japan, which, 
in addition to many of the vegetables to which we are accus¬ 
tomed, included Water Dr op wort, the young shoots of the 
Bamboo, the Egg-plant, Arrow-head, and the bulb of the Lilium 
tigrinum and the subaqueous roots of the Lotus or Sacred Lily, 
both of which edible plants were grown in Europe for decora¬ 
tive purposes, just as the Cherry tree was grown in Japan with 
little regard for the fruit, but with the view of obtaining the 
largest quantities of blossom. The fruits of Japan were gene¬ 
rally eaten raw and never appeared on the table with meals. 
Few kinds were dried and crystallised for jam, and jam-making 
was quite a recent thing learnt from abroad. The fruits men¬ 
tioned included the Apple, Pear, Quince, Pomegranate, Loquat, 
Persimmon, Orange, Olive, Apricot, Plum, Jujube, Vine, 
Currant, and other soft fruits, and several nuts. 
The cultivation of the Chrysanthemum was also described. 
This flower was first cultivated in Japan in about a.d. 300, and 
reached its zenith in the sixteenth century. The lecturer and 
himself investigated the origin of the Japanese Chrysanthe¬ 
mum, and had found that similar kinds to the present varieties 
of flower could be obtained by various processes of hybridisa¬ 
tion, and he mentioned what lie believed to be the parent 
varieties, and described the principal varieties now cultivated. 
The methods of both the Japanese amateur and professional 
Chrysanthemum cultivator were also included in the paper. 
Whilst the main desire of the florist was to grow for potting, 
and brilliant flowering plants, the private grower aimed at 
either growing giant plants, producing one flower on a single 
stem, or growing the plants in different forms. They also 
grafted different varieties on the same stem ‘and grew some 
dwarfed. 
Mr. R. J. Fairer s paper on the horticulture of Japan had 
special reference to Japanese soil and weather. He pointed 
out that all Japanese plants grew with more or less bottom 
heat, and that- their soil was generally of rich, warm loam 
mixed in different degrees with minute volcanic deposits. As 
to climate, they endured intense extremes of heat and cold (at 
least in Hondo’ and Hokkaido), both accompanied by almost 
perpetual rain, October and December being the only two 
months in which any clear spell of fine weather could be con¬ 
fidently expected. In these circumstances it could not be 
wondered at that Japanese gardening should differ so much 
front English. But in fact, it was fair to' say that the Japanese 
were not lovers of flower-gardens, but of garden architecture 
in stone and topiary work. Japan contained many species of 
wild flowers which might well be acclimatised and which would 
be very valuable additions to our alpine and herbaceous 
gardens. Mr. Fairer then proceeded to short descriptive notes 
of Schizocodon, Conandron, Lobelia radicans, the Cypripe- 
diums, C. macranthum, C. debile and C. japonicum, Lithosper- 
nium erythrorhizon, the Nikko Azalea, the Japanese Gentians, 
and various other interesting and beautiful plants of hill or 
woodland. His lecture concluded with an exhibition of finely 
coloured lantern slides front photographs made by him in 
Japan. Among them were views of Horikiri (Iris), Kaineido 
(Wistaria), and rockwork near Ikao, and the Kencho-ji garden 
at Kamakura. 
The Royal Horticultural Society are to be congratulated on 
having obtained such important lectures on the horticultural 
methods of our Eastern allies as those briefly noticed above. 
The two papers read on the 9th inst., together with those on 
cognate subjects by Mr. Maumene and Mr. James Hudson, read 
at the previous meeting, will be published in the societv’s 
“ Journal.” 
Wildpret’s Bugloss (Echium Wildpretii). 
Among the many species of Echium, we have in one named 
in compliment to Mr. Wildpret, curator of Botanic Garden-. 
Orotava, a strikingly handsome species, and quite distinct 
from the many we have under cultivation. 
The plant is a biennial, flowering and producing seed in its 
second year, afterwards dying. Seeds of this plant were sown 
some time in June, 1903 (soon after being ripe) in a light, 
sandy soil in a gentle heat, forming plants the first year with 
a dense rosette of long, narrow, silvery, silken leaves 6 in. to 
8 in. long, covered with soft canescent hairs. After the lapse 
of about sixteen or seventeen months the stem elongates, and 
the terminal thyrsoid inflorescence begins to be formed until 
it reaches to a height of over 3 ft. (not including the pot). The 
inflorescence itself measures 18 in. in length, with a diameter 
of 5 in. The floral leaves produced at the base of the flower 
peduncles are about 2 in. or 3 in. long. The flowers are of a 
salmon-pink colour, the corolla campanulate in shape, with the 
filaments very prominent, extending well beyond the tube. 
[r/ioto. Maclaren and Sons. 
Primula erosa. (See p. 433.) 
The filaments and anthers give a decided touch of beauty to 
the inflorescence, contrasting well with the salmon-pink of the 
individual flowers, combined with the silvery, silky appearance 
of the whole plant, making it a subject worthy of the highest 
merit. 
During the dull months of winter care must be taken with 
the water-pot, as the very look of this plant suggests damping. 
A cool, dry, airy greenhouse, with plenty of light and sun, 
together with careful watering, are the essentials in the suc¬ 
cessful cultivation of Echium Wildpretii. On the section in 
the Temperate House, Kew, devoted to the Canaries can be 
seen a small group of this Echium, their tall, majestic heads 
prominent, while round about and in between are the Pines of 
their native island, presumably the “ kings of their forests.” 
“ What fitting subjects for such royal company.” Mac. 
Kextish Horticulturists will be pleased to hear that Mr. 
W. P. Wright, the County Superintendent in Horticulture, uas 
been invited to act as one of the judges at the Great International 
Horticultural Exhibition, which is to be held in Edinburgh in 
September. 
