June 13, 1908- 
THE 
GARDENING WORLD. 
393 
fortune’s = 
= Gatchflg. 
(Silene Fortunei rosea.) 
The Catchflies are exceedingly nume- 
1.15, but from this point of view only a 
iv of them are garden favourites. A 
• eat many of them have by no means 
oispicuous flowers, while many of the 
secies close their flowers during the day, 
] coming fully expanded again fti the 
inning to attract their insect visitors, 
.uongst the annual species, S. pendula 
1 best known and S. Armeria, although 
jsquently seen in gardens, is worthy of 
1 tended cultivation. The first of these 
)oms in spring and early summer, ac- 
irding to the time of sowing. The 
:;ond may be considered a summer 
homer, particularly if the seed is sown 
: April. The subject of this note is one 
the latest to bloom and one of the 
d::rdb!r,' r.s it blooms from Septem¬ 
ber to November. In its latest stages, 
however, the quality and beauty of the 
bloom will depend largely upon the na¬ 
ture of the weather for the time being. 
The flowers are of large size for a Si¬ 
lene and remarkably fringed, recalling 
Ragged Robin. The plant is usually 
raised from seeds, and varies in colour. 
That which we photographed in the gar¬ 
dens at Kew last autumn was S. For¬ 
tunei rosea, with rose coloured blossoms. 
Even in tbe photograph the ragged or 
fringed nature of these flowers can be 
noticed. As S. pendula is the favourite in 
spring, this might well constitute an 
autumn favourite, for the flowers make a 
showy bed and may be cut for indoor 
decoration, their lightness and graceful¬ 
ness being a prominent feature of the 
flowers, while the leaf}' stems carry with 
them their own foliage. 
The plant is named after Robert For¬ 
tune, the celebrated traveller and col¬ 
lector, but although he was collecting and 
sending home numerous plants for Bri¬ 
tish gardens in the forties, the plant was 
not introduced till 1898, when seeds were 
sent to Kcm bv Father Piccoli from CKina. 
Hydrangeas 
For Greenhouse, 
Beds and Borders. 
These deciduous, hardy, flowering 
shrubs are worthy of a place, in every 
garden, and especially that of the ama¬ 
teur. There are several varieties very 
.easy to cultivate, and they can be used 
for either outdoor or greenhouse work. 
Hvdrangea hortensis is the most popular, 
and its colour is pink. Then there is 
H.h. alba, a good white, and H. panicu- 
lata, a small-flowered one, H. grandi- 
flora, and a pretty variegated one, H. 
hortensis japonica variegata. 
I will first give details for pot culture. 
The compost should consist of two parts 
rich loam, one part decayed manure, and 
one part river sand. They will require 
plenty of water from April to October, 
and very little should be given during 
the remaining months. Liquid or artifi¬ 
cial manures can be given with great ad 
Saxifraga 
montavonien sis, 
C__ 
+ 
Of the taller flowering Rockfoils there 
a considerable number of fine species 
id varieties. If it were possible to ob- 
in true and to ensure the flowering 
ch year of the justly named “ Queen of 
ixifrages,” S. longifolia, it would be a 
iste of time to look for a finer plant, 
owever, so long as the queen of the 
mus is so fickle, the variety named at 
:ad of this note may well be made use of. 
Fortune’s Catchfly Silene Fortunei rosea). 
Botanically, it is a variety of S. Coty¬ 
ledon. but both in foliage and habit it is 
very distinct. The rosettes of leaves are 
greener and more sparingly edged with 
the silvery incrustations; they are also 
broader, less pointed, and generally in¬ 
fused with a brownish tint. The flower 
spike may not grow so tall as the variety 
pyramidalis, but it is better furnished 
with branchlets and flowers at the base. 
In short, a well flowered spike is little if 
anv inferior to-the best S. longifolia. In 
splendid contrast to the milk white petals, 
the stamens are bright red and the calyx 
is ruddv brown. This feature alone ren¬ 
ders the subject of this note worth grow¬ 
ing, if treated well to obtain the finest re¬ 
sults. Erica. 
Maclaren and Sons. 
vantage' to plants showing flower. The 
best blooms are obtained on plants which 
have been pjopagated by cuttings annu¬ 
ally. These should be inserted in August 
in pots of sandy soil, six cuttings in a 
24 size pot, or singly in 3 - in. pots, and 
placed in a temperature of from 55 degs. 
to 60 degs. Those who wish to get the 
blue (and most amateurs admire it) should 
pot their plants of H. hortensis in a com¬ 
post of four parts loam and one part iron 
filings, or applv a solution of one table¬ 
spoonful of saltpetre and half a table¬ 
spoonful of oxide of iron in three gallons 
of water, applying this twice a week. If 
carried out properly this should act on 
the pink Hydrangea and convert it to a 
lovely blue. 
