December 23, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
977 
Christmas and lenten 
Roses 
(HELLEBORUS.) 
also should be the form in the variety Queen 
of Spain. That named Kins of Spain merely 
differs by having the mouth of the trumpet 
more or less widened and rolled back in a 
handsome way at the margin, as may be seen 
by the illustration. It is not yet too late to 
plant Daffodils, so that those on holiday or 
enforced idleness owing to the holidays might 
well take the opportunity of planting Daffo¬ 
dils if the work has not yet been accomplished. 
We frequently hear of it being too late to 
plant Daffodils so late in the year, but having 
planted Daffodils at Christmas time we can 
say that they give a satisfactory account of 
themselves in spring. The flowers were some¬ 
what later than those planted earlier, but 
for that very reason they serve to keep up a 
succession. 
Cypripedium Daisy Barclay. 
The above is a new hybrid form of Cypri¬ 
pedium, of which the parentage was C. Gode- 
froyae leucochilum x rothschildianum. The 
dorsal sepal is nearly covered with blackish 
crimson lines, following the course of the 
veins on a straw-yellow ground. The petals 
are of considerable length and thickly spotted 
with maroon-crimson in lines along the veins. 
Here again the ground colour is pale straw- 
yellow. The lip, unlike the first-named variety, 
which was said to be the seed parent, is more or 
less thickly spotted with small crimson mark¬ 
ings. The whole plant may be described as 
robust though dwarf, and, as our illustration 
• will show, the stem carried- two flowers, 
although only 6 in. high. This handsome 
Orchid was exhibited by J. Gurney Fowler, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Davis), Glebelands, 
South Woodford, Essex', on July 4th last, at 
the meeting of the R.H.S., when a First-class 
Certificate was accorded it. 
Goat’s Rue (Galega officinalis). 
The above is undoubtedly the finest of the 
Galegas in cultivation. The foliage is of a 
beautiful feathery character, and every stem 
is surmounted by a greater or less number 
of racemes of light silvery-blue or purple 
flowers. Of the several species in cultivation 
this one takes the second place in point of 
time when in flower. It is admirably adapted 
I for small gardens, whether those of the cot¬ 
tager, the occupier of a villa, or the garden 
of the King. It blooms during July and 
August, keeping up a succession for a con¬ 
siderable time. It is one of those plants which 
may be described as good tempered, as it can 
be flowered under a considerable variety of 
conditions. The enthusiastic cultivator may 
trench and manure the border in which it is 
grown, and thereby get greater stature, but 
even those who only dig their garden once 
a year will still get a profusion of bloom on 
dwarfer plants, which are all the more suit¬ 
able for small gardens. Many of the Pea 
family being deep-rooted can also be culti¬ 
vated under similarly unfavourable condi¬ 
tions, and in like manner give a good account 
of themselves. The plant is also suitable for 
cultivation in pots, and in some cases plants 
so grown might be an advantage. Usually, 
however, the borders and beds should be 
rendered gay in the open in the summer so 
as to attract the inmates out of doors rather 
than lead them into hothouses. In dry and 
firm ground it would also be suitable for 
planting on the higher reaches of the rockery. 
Chrysanthemums at Christmas, — Many 
naturally late flowering varieties have been 
raised within the last few years, thus making 
it possible to have single and double varieties 
in unlimited quantity at Christmas. 
When the trees are leafless, the sky grey, 
and the evergreens glossy by frequent rains, 
the garden bears a somewhat sombre appear¬ 
ance ; and were it not for the few plants that 
flower in the open air during December and 
January, and form as it were a floral link 
between each year, the garden would indeed 
look gloomy. 
Of the few plants that bloom in the above 
period the Hellebores are undoubtedly the 
best, producing an abundance of flowers at a 
season when other flowers are most scarce. 
Hellebores are of the easiest cultivation, but 
when a little care is bestowed upon them they 
more than doubly repay the cultivator. Helle¬ 
bores will grow in almost any kind of soil, but 
a rich light soil is best, and a situation that 
is partially shaded, moist, but thoroughly 
drained, will suit them to perfection. 
Hellebores flourish best when left- undis¬ 
turbed for years, but should annually receive 
a good top-dressing of rotten manure ; and 
when the plants are making growth and the 
buds forming, frequent applications of liquid 
manure will be found advantageous. 
When it is desirous to have the blooms in 
perfect condition some protection must be 
afforded; a hand light or garden-frame lights 
are the most suitable, but where these are not 
handy a layer of straw placed round the base 
Perhaps nothing in the vegetable kingdom 
possesses so much mysticism as Mistletoe. 
“ Show me a woman and I’ll show you a 
mystery,” someone has said. The adage may 
certainly be applied to this odd parasitic 
growth. There was a period, indeed, when it 
seems to have affected the religion and very 
life of certain nations, and more particularly 
our own, being largely wrapt up in the vene¬ 
ration held by our forbears for the Oak. 
Certainly the origin of the name is veiled in 
much obscurity, and who can say with any 
certainty at this far-off age what its deriva¬ 
tion may be P Even its Saxon name is disputed. 
Thus one savant will aver the word to mean 
mist, gloom, and tan (a twig), while another 
student of research will give his vote in favour 
of mistel (bird dung) and tain (a shoot), which 
latter is evidently based on the idea that its 
propagation is by means of the excrement of 
certain of the bird tribe. Again, the druids 
termed the plant “ all heal,” and almost cer¬ 
tainly credited it with possessing curative 
virtues, not only for all ailments of the body, 
but even affecting the sold for its after state. 
Their veneration for it was in truth boundless. 
Thus, regarding our own land, its interest 
and wonder has been handed down from gene¬ 
ration to generation from the remote times of 
our legendary ancestors (who themselves seem 
to have regarded it as mysterious and obscure 
in origin), until to-day it is still as popular 
as of yore, though used and -considered, of 
course, in a widely different light, and with 
us, at any rate, with no thought of religion 
attending it, the customary kiss under its 
of the plants will prevent them getting 
splashed with soil during showery weather. 
No protection is necessary on account of 
severe weather; it is only to keep the flowers 
perfect, otherwise they are perfectly hardy. 
Helleborus niger, the Christmas Rose, hear¬ 
ing pure white flowers 2in. to 3in. in diameter, 
which are invaluable for cut flowers, blooms 
freely during December and January, and 
Helleborus n. maximus, the great Christmas 
Rose, which bears large white flowers tinted 
with rose, on stems 1ft. high, blooms from 
November to February. There are several 
more varieties of Christmas Roses, but the 
above two are the most useful. 
The Helleborus orientalis, or Lenten Rose, 
is a class quite distinct from the above, bloom¬ 
ing at Lent. The flowers are white, red, 
pink, and purple, many of them being beauti¬ 
fully splashed and striped. H. orientalis, 
globular white flowers ; H. Moorei, pale pink ; 
H. multiflorus, purple; and H. purpurascens, 
deep red purple, very early, are a few of the 
best. All are easily grown, perfectly hardy, 
and bloom from February to April. 
All varieties of Hellebores are excellent for 
pot culture, and make attractive plants for 
conservatory or greenhouse decoration. 
G. H. Webster. 
Oak Cottage, Woolton, Liverpool. 
Bough £ 
FACTS AND FANCIES ABOUT 
. . THE MYSTIC PLANT. . . 
pendent bough being but an occasion of fun 
and friendly opportunity at an exceptional 
and privileged season. 
In that dim period of our history the arch¬ 
druid once every year, early in March, at the 
first quarter of the moon, clad in pure white 
vestments, mounted the sacred Oak and 
severed the hallowed plant, which was caught 
below in a clean and spotless cloth. Inasmuch 
as some deem that the Old Testament creed, 
though much corrupted, was specially studied 
and practised by the druids, it may well be 
that the yearly cutting of Mistletoe, and the 
extreme care and punctilious cleanliness with 
which the operation was conducted, was 
emblematic of the spotless Redeemer of man¬ 
kind. Very likely the classical authors of 
Greece and Italy (Homer and Virgil), in their 
meiftion of the Golden Branch, were really 
speaking of the same mysterious growth, and 
it may even Be the “ branch ” spoken of 
in the Scripture itself. 
The Oak, in any case, was with the druids 
a sacred tree, quite apart- from its parasitical 
offspring ; indeed, as a matter of fact it affects 
this tree less almost than any other. Thus in 
England it is common, especially in the Mid¬ 
lands and Southern parts, on the Apple. Pear, 
Hawthorn, Sycamore, Lime, and Poplar; 
being also seen in various parts of Europe on 
the Fir, Elm, Maple, Birch, Mulberry, and 
Willow. To specify further, in Northern 
France it is a very frequent sight on the Pear, 
while in England perhaps it is most frequent 
as a whole on the Apple and Black Poplar. 
Again, in Italy it may even be seen on the 
THE—— 
a Mistletoe 
