900 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
November 25, 1905. 
A faint aroma emanates from the plant, 
which, although not sweet, is not displeasing. 
One little drawback is that the blooms when 
withered still adhere to the plant, but by tak¬ 
ing the pot in the hand and gently shaking the 
plant they may be removed. I have obtained 
the best results by growing the plants in a very 
gritty compost, with a small proportion of peat. 
By keeping in rather small pots and feeding 
liberally, a firm short-jointed growth is obtained, 
and consequently a great profusion of bloom. 
It is an excellent subject for window-boxes, 
while in beds or borders it is very effective in 
a mass. Plants used for the latter purpose 
may be safely stored in a cold frame. Propa¬ 
gation is simple by means of young shoots from 
the base, stripped off with a heel, and firmly 
inserted in pure silver-sand. 
Heather Bell. 
-♦- 
The Horticultural Club. 
Influence of Flowers. 
The usual monthly dinner of this club was 
held on Tuesday the 8th inst., at the Hotel 
Windsor, under' the presidency of Sir John 
Llewellyn, Bart,, when a good attendance of 
members and g’uests were subsequently favoured 
with a most interesting address on “ The In¬ 
fluence of Blowers amongst the Poor,” delivered 
by the Bev. Canon Horsley. Canon Horsley 
has for very many years devoted his energies 
and influence to brightening the homes of the 
poorer classes by inculcating a taste for flowers, 
and with the most satisfactory results, since it 
was proved that when by means of competitive 
exhibits the necessity of cleanliness and care 
in the culture of the flowers was recognised 
this salutary lesson spread from the plants 
themselves to the dwellings and personal habits 
of the humble cultivators. Furthermore, it 
was seen that the taste for gardening frequently 
formed a hobby which was the one thing need¬ 
ful to kindle a spark of interest in the wonders 
of nature!, and that frequently the money which 
was previously squandered in drink became 
devoted to this hobby, to the consequent refor¬ 
mation of many and the greater comfort of 
their families. 
Some most interesting anecdotes were re¬ 
lated of the really marvellous way in which 
the poor, despite the terrible handicaps of 
lack of light, space, and, indeed, apparently of 
every requisite of successful floriculture, 
managed, by concentration of their energy 
and persistent care, to produce specimens which 
shamed the- amateur productions of far more 
favoured growers. One point seemed indeed 
to be absolutely established, and that is that 
when once the taste for floriculture became im¬ 
planted sobriety and cleanly habits followed, 
and it is in this special direction that the in¬ 
fluence of flowers amongst the poor proved so 
beneficial. 
Of course, in most instances the first essential 
step was the gratis provision of plants or seeds 
as a start, coupled with the offering of prizes 
for subsequent successful culture, and although 
the distribution of surplus plants by nursery¬ 
men and of clearance plants from our public 
parks by the authorities goes far in this direc¬ 
tion, it was one of Canon Horsley’s chief objects 
in his address to ask those present to aid in 
this good work as far as possible. The question 
of open spaces was of course a material one in 
this connection, and though an immense deal 
has been done in this way, much remained to 
be done, as the overspreading metropolis and 
other large cities tended more and more to 
become congested as building went on. 
In the subsequent discussion Sir J. Llewellyn 
and Messrs. Harry Yeitch, Shea, Assbee, and 
Bead participated, Sir J. Llewellyn particularly 
referring to the elevating influence of natural 
hobbies generally, while Mr. Harry Yeitch 
alluded to the admirable behaviour of factory 
girls and other of the labouring classes who had 
been admitted to his gardens, and scrupulously 
respected the hospitality extended to them. 
Mr. Assbee referred especially to the market 
aspect of the matter and the enormous exten¬ 
sion in the trade for cheap plants among' the 
poor. 
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to 
Canon Horsley for his interesting “ talk, ’ as he 
termed it; and in concluding the meeting some 
touching references were made to the loss which 
the club and horticulture generally had recently 
suffered by the death of the veteran horticul¬ 
turist, the Bev. H. H. D’ Ombrain, to whose 
widow and family the club were conveying their 
deepest sympathy. 
Supplementary Replies 
BY OUR READERS 
To Answers in the 11 G. W." Enquire Within. 
Plants for Crevices of a Wall 
Phyteuma comosum is a dwarf alpine with 
sea-green foliage and blue flowers ; Tunica 
Saxifraga, a very free-blooming plant, with 
rose-ooloured flowers ; Achillea umbellata, a 
small silvery-white foliaged plant from 
Greece, with white flowers in June ; Erinus 
hispanicus, an evergreen plant, has rose- 
coloured flowers ; Erinus Alpinus, violet 
flowers: The sxiecies of Erinus are the 
easiest of plants to> establish on a wall. 
Arenaria balearica, an evergreen creeper, lias 
white flowers, freely produced. Ibens 
jocunda, flowers flesh-coloured, is not quite so 
hardy as some of the Iberis, but will succeed 
on a warm, sunny wall. Anthyllis montana 
produces pink flowers in early summer. 
Draba aizoides is a neat-growing little plant 
with yellow flowers. Potentilla villosa is a 
native of Siberia. Aquilegia pyrenaica, a 
small, erect growing plant, has deep violet 
flowers. Cyananthus lobatus, a pretty little 
Himalayan'plant, produces flowers, blue and 
white. Campanula garganioa has blue 
flowers ; Arabis Billardieri, rose-coloured 
flowers ; Corydalis lutea, fem-like glaucus 
foliage and yellow flower. Other useful wall 
plants are Saxifraga Camposii, S. umbrosa, 
Antirrhinums, and Mesembryanthemums. 
Amongst annuals we have Silene pendula and 
Saponaria calabrica, both interesting plants. 
The Poxtulacas, double and single, with 
Mesembryanthemum tricolor and M. cry- 
stallinum are annual sun-loving plants, which 
should be raised from seed sown in April and 
planted on the wall after all danger of frost 
is past. On a damp wall the filmy Feins 
(Hymenophyllum) would be a success. As- 
plenium Ceterach is a British Fern, found 
growing wild on old ruins and rocky places. 
In planting a wall always use small plants, 
as it is easier to establish a young plant than 
a large one with a lot of foliage. Frequent 
syringing and shade if the weather is hot and 
drv are absolutely necessary. 
W. G. Child. 
128, Bensham Lane, Thornton Heath. 
Plum Trees Going Off. 
There is no doubt “Novice’s” Plum trees 
are infested with one of the well-known Plum 
aphis, of which there are three species— 
Aphis Pruni, Hyalopteris Pruni, and Phoro- 
don ITumuli Malaheb. The former species is 
the most common. Badly infested trees 
should have as much of the infested growths 
cut away and burnt as can be spared. After¬ 
wards give the trees a thorough syringing with 
a wash as follows : Dissolve 101b. soft soap in 
50 gallons of water, to which the juice of 2oz. 
of tobacco has been added. Apply this in the 
afternoon, and wash off next morning with 
clear water. L. S. Shall. 
Climbing Hydrangea. 
The correct name of this plant is Hydran¬ 
gea petiolaris, or H. scandens, which is the 
same. It is quite hardy against a wall in the 
south, and can be used for covering old tree 
stumps. But in the north would need the 
protection of a cold house to flower it success¬ 
fully. It resembles Ivy in mode of growth. 
The flowers are white, in large broad cymes, 
and the flowering period is in June. It can 
be propagated any time during spring or 
summer by flowerless cuttings inserted in pots 
filled with loam and leaf soil. It is a native 
of Japan. L. S. Small. 
Hedysaru/a Obscuru/a. 
FOR BORDER 
OR ROCKERY. 
What can be the reason that Hedysarums are 
so little used in herbaceous borders? One 
rarely meets with any but H. coronarium, 
which, although itself a very showy plant, is by 
no means the most charming member of its 
family. That named above, for instance, is a 
really lovely thing that might well grace either 
borders or rockery in the best of gardens. 
Crimson flowers of graceful habit and easy 
culture are not numerous, thus it is the more 
surprising that a plant which so fully answers 
this description should remain in obscurity. 
Whether in hot, dry positions, or in more genial 
quarters, H. obscurum will thrive to delight 
the eye with its glowing blossoms and fresh, 
green foliage. About 18 in. is the maximum 
height to which it attains, but in light, sandy 
soil it will bloom at half that height. 
Heather Bell. 
Gulinary 
Peas. 
SOME 
GOOD 
MODERN 
VARIETIES. 
Since the introduction of Telephone (white) 
and Telegraph (green) marrowfat Peas I do 
not think there has been any startling advance 
in 5 and 6 ft. Peas. . j 
Telegraph fairly held its own until the Duke 
of Albany’s appearance, which completely 
eclipsed it by its greatly enhanced quality, 
either for culinary or for exhibition purposes. 
The Duke remains unrivalled, if good selected 
seed and changing soil are prudently chosen. 
All newcomers when justly compared display 
little distinction. Supposed advances are more 
matters of cultivation for the time being. 
Hybridists now chiefly confine their attention 
to dwarfing the plants, retaining the. size of the 
pods, and size and quality of Peas within them. 
For this blending they have well succeeded. 
Examples are easily detected in such as Early 
Giant, Daisy, Prizewinner, Ex. Marrow, Peer¬ 
less, Gladstone, and many others, all excellent 
in their way—a saving in sticks as w’ell as the 
advantage of having the rows closer. 
The only three I am aware of in what I might > 
term the longpod section are the old Jubilee, 
then Glory of Devon and Sutton’s Masterpiece, 
of which 1 send you a photo of a pod 7 in. long. 
There is still room for improvement—blanks 
within the shells are common ; good culture 
