July 1, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
525 
Herbaceous 
CALCEOLARIAS 
EXPRESS CULTURE. 
In a reoont issue of “ G. W.,” at p. 432, an 
idmirable article on this most accommodating 
plant is given. Your coiTespondent “ C. C. 
coniines his remarks to a cool, slow method, 
which is no doubt suited to the amateur or the 
„ardener with limited means at his disposal, 
but when express methods, have to. be adopted 
to meet market requirements his method 
would be too slow to pay. 
About the end of November the seed is sown 
in pans in the- orthodox way and placed in 
the stove, the seedlings on their appearance 
receiving rational treatment with regard to 
ensuring a position near the glass, pricking 
out, watering, potting, etc. About the begin¬ 
ning of February they generally find them¬ 
selves in 2g in. and 3 in. pots, and about this 
time are transferred to a shelf in the green¬ 
house. When they get accustomed to these 
quarters, and as soon as the roots reach the 
sides of the pots, they get their final shift into 
6 in. pots (I never allow them to become pot- 
bound in small pots). Sometimes when 
frames are available they form the receptacle 
for the batch, but more frequently a. cool 
greenhouse answers this purpose, with the 
result that by careful cultivation and 
judicious use of artificial stimulant, fine, 
healthy, bushy plants are beginning to flower 
in June, about six months from the time of 
sowing the seed. 
In bygone days I have grown huge speci¬ 
mens in 10 in. and 11 in. pots, which took 
fourteen or fifteen months to flower, but have 
now discarded the practice in favour of that 
above described, the smaller plants being 
more suitable for general conservatory work 
and vastly superior as house plants. 
Another point in their favour is their 
suitability for market, and, commercially 
speaking, market growers ought to. adopt the 
method to their decided advantage and cer¬ 
tain gain. Y. Z. 
FREESI AS 
FOR JANUARY FLOWERING. 
The bulbs Should be potted in August for 
flowering in January, in a compost consisting 
of two parts fibrous loam, one part leaf soil, 
half part manure, half part peat, and a, liberal 
supply of coarse sand, placing nine or ten 
bulbs in a 5 in. pot, and plunged in ashes 
until growth begins, when they may be intro¬ 
duced to a cold frame, plentiful supplies of 
water being given at this time. Take them 
into a greenhouse about the end of October, 
when the temperature should be no more than 
50 degrees, and have each shoot staked out 
separately. After flowering they should be 
gradually dried off by only giving water about 
once or twice a week until the foliage becomes 
quite brown. It is advisable at this period 
to water them about three times with rich 
manure water, as this helps to swell the bulbs, 
and so give quality to the bloom for the next 
season. When dried off, place on a high shelf 
to get all the sun possible, so as to thoroughly 
ripen the bulbs, as you cannot practically bake 
them too much. Then take them down about 
the first week in August, shake the soil off 
them, picking out the largest bulbs. Place 
them in a saucer and damp them with water a 
time or two until the roots begin to form ; 
then pot them up, taking care not to break the 
young roots off. E. H. Hallett. 
The Gardens, Green Bank, Lewes. 
OCCASIONAL 
v i ews 
Mr. W. L. WALLIS. 
Secretary of the East Anglian Horticultural Club . 
Norwich, was an almost deserted city when I strong individuality. As secretary to his club 
walked down into it from Victoria Station, for he must be a veritable acquisition. The club, 
it was early closing day, and the good people indeed, seems to be a part of himself, as it 
of the Norfolk capital had gone out into the were ; he is engrossed in its affairs, and grows 
country for a sun bath and to revel in the enthusiastic and eloquent when they are being 
delightful scenery of the surrounding neigh- discussed. So overwhelming in quantity was 
bom-hood and inhale the fragrance of the the information which he volunteered, that 1 
flowers. feel embarrassed when examining my notes, 
The rendezvous arranged between Mr. W. L. and regretful that I can reproduce in this place 
Wallis and myself was the Shirehall Hotel, so little in proportion to the total amount 
the headquarters of the East Anglian Horticul- which I have at my disposal, 
tural Club, of which club he is secretary. To “Excuse me, but you’re a W est-country- 
this place, therefore, I dii’ected my steps after man, are you not? ” I ventured, after w T e had 
a brief and pleasant ramble through the city introduced ourselves and settled down to con- 
where once—nearly four decades of years ago— versation. 
I temporarily resided. Having left it in my “That is so,” he admitted. “I was born 
very juvenile days, the memory of these early forty-two years ago in the cider county of 
scenes had almost vanished, but nevertheless Somerset, but I left my native shire when I 
I NTE 
From a photograph by] [Wilkinson ib_Co.,_Noni\clt. 
Mr. AY. L. AY allis. 
1 enjoyed the brief tour, and caught a glimpse 
of the noble cathedral, of the Castle with its 
Norman keep, and St. Andrew’s Hall, where 
the celebrated Triennial Musical Festivals are 
held. 
Mr. AVallis, who promptly put in an appear¬ 
ance at the appointed hour, I found to be a 
gentleman of substantial physique, apparently 
in the enjoyment of robust health, and with a 
face betokening a genial disposition and the 
index to a shrewd mind. And one could not 
be long in his company without discovering 
that he possesses pronounced abilities and a 
was a boy. For nearly twenty-three years 1 
have been in the offices of the well-known firm 
of seed-growers and nurserymen, Messrs. 
Daniels Bros., Ltd. In consequence, I have 
been brought into contact with a great- many 
horticultural people, professional and 
amateur, and have done a good bit of work 
in helping forward the cause. I should like 
to- say that one of my brothers holds a respon¬ 
sible position with Messrs. Cooper, Taber and 
Co., Ltd., of London and Witham, seed 
growers, with whom he lias been connected for 
about twenty-five years.” 
