THE GARDENING WORLD 
349 
' 
May 25, 1907. 
The African Lily (Agapanthus umbellatus). 
The African Lily- 
Good sized plants of this member of 
the Lily family always give the greatest 
satisfaction. If they are planted in tubs 
and carefully watered till they get estab¬ 
lished thev throw up numerous spikes of 
light blue flowers that have a splendid 
effect in the garden during July and 
August. As it comes from South Africa, 
it likes plenty of sunshine, and although 
some amateurs try to grow it in a window, 
it rarely gives anything like satisfaction, 
owing to the want of proper light and a 
free play of air about it. In the South 
of England it may be wintered in a cold 
frame and stood out of doors in May in 
a sunny position. In the north a green¬ 
house is quite sufficient to protect it. It 
is a first-class plant to stand on the gravel 
area in front of a house or even upon 
paving or balustrades, where it will get 
the full influence of the summer sun. 
Its large, fleshy roots enjoy a liberal 
supply of water while making growth and 
flowering. Therefore after the plants 
are well established and standing in the 
open air there is no fear of over-watering 
this plant. 
The photograph from which the accom- 
panving illustration w.as reproduced was 
sent us by Mr. W. Curtis, gardener to 
Mrs. Barnard, Cave Castle, South Cave. 
(Agapanthus umbellatus). 
A few years ago, he tells us, the plants 
were growing in small pots, when he 
shifted them into paraffin tubs cut in half. 
Since then the plants have gone ahead 
with great vigour, flowering grandly every 
year. Indeed, the specimen shown 
carried twenty-seven umbels of its pleas¬ 
ing blue flowers. Should any one have 
a "difficulty with this plant it would be 
well to remember that it is sunshine it 
wants to make it thrive and no difficulty 
will be found with it after that, all other 
cultural points being equal. 
Agapetes speciosa. 
The above plant is of unknown origin, 
but is supposed to come from Burmah. 
It has been grown for the last seven years 
or more by J. T. Bennett-Poe, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. J. Downes), Holmwood, 
Cheshunt, and having bloomed, has now 
been found to be a new species. The 
leaves are not unlike those qf a Rhodo¬ 
dendron in size and shape, and are pro¬ 
duced in clusters at the ends of the 
branches. The plant grows 5 ft. or 6 ft. 
high, and has clusters of tubular crimson 
or red flowers. First-class Certificate 
was awarded by the R.H.S. on 16th April. 
Wallflowers. 
For Flowers next Year 
. . . Sow Now. . . . 
Now is the time for sowing Wallflowers, 
and all who are fond of these old- 
fashioned, sweet smelling flowers may 
have them next year as near perfection as 
possible if they are willing to take a little 
extra trouble. I will describe the way we 
manage ours, which all our friends say 
are some of the most beautiful they have 
ever seen. 
Get seeds at a good place. Sutton s 
are excellent, but it very- small quantities 
are required, penny packets can be bought 
of many firms. Vulcan, dark red ; Ruby 
Gem, plum colour; and Eastern Queen, 
delightfully shaded rose pink and yellow, 
are a few of the best varieties. 
Place the seed in boxes in a cold green¬ 
house, boring holes in the bottom of them 
with a red hot poker, putting in bits of 
broken pot for drainage, and then nearly 
filling with riddled leaf mould and maiden 
earth well mixed together. 
Try to have a box for each variety. 
Spill a few seeds into the palm of the 
left hand and take each seed separately, 
sowing them half an inch from each other. 
Water gently with a fine rose, and shake 
some fine earth from an old pepper caster 
over them, covering the whole with glass, 
over which put paper to keep out the 
light. 
When the seedlings appear remove the 
coverings and keep the soil damp, and 
when the plants have produced four leaves 
take out every- second sbedling with the 
help of an old spoon so as not to disturb 
any roots, leaving an inch between each 
plant, and carefully plant the ones you 
remove into another box. Then place the 
boxes outside in a sunny corner, keeping 
them watered until the plants are quite 
sturdy. 
A position should then be prepared in 
the open for them, if possible in the places 
in which they are to flower. Dig the soil 
deeply and fork in some well-rotted man¬ 
ure. " Take each plant and pinch out the 
long centre. Tap roots, which will en¬ 
courage the growth of fibrous roots; also 
pinch out the centre, top shoot, which will 
bring the side shoots into activity. Plant 
each Wallflower one foot apart, and in the 
spring you will be charmed with the result 
of the little extra trouble you have taken. 
Katherine Curtis. 
- - 
Flower Shows in Birmingham. 
Mr. T. Humphreys, one of the hon. 
secretaries of the Birmingham Botanical 
and Horticultural Society-, writes as fol¬ 
lows:—“Two summer flower shows were 
held at the Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, 
last y-ear, under the auspices of our 
society, and at_a recent meeting, presided 
over by- the chairman. Mr. Neville Cham¬ 
berlain, it was decided to hold two similar 
shows this season, one on June 12th and 
another on July 3rd. The committee are 
very grateful to those subscribers who sup¬ 
ported the shows last year, and will be 
glad to welcome them again this y-ear on 
the dates above mentioned. 
