October 13 , 1913 . 
THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 
FLOWERS IN THE SOUTH-WEST 
DISTRICT. i 
For the first four months of the year the 
rain was exceptionally heavy, 24.78 inches 
fallingf in that period, the heaviest fall for 
the four months that has been recorded for 
fifteen years. Since that time the weather 
has been very dry, less than an inch of 
rain bein^ registered during the months of 
June, July, and August respectively. In 
June rain fell on eight days, but only once 
exceeded a quarter of an inch. In July 
there were only five days on which rain fell, 
and in August six days. The total fall for 
these three months was only 2.30 inches. 
In July there was a period of twenty days 
in which not a drop of rain fell. 
In the garden the spring was very early, 
Gladiolus tristis being in full flower at the 
end of March, oonsi<&rably earlier than is 
usually the case, as it nevCi*, as a rule, 
blooms before April. This beautiful flower, 
of a uniform pale yellow, does not appear 
to be in the hands of any nurseryman, as 
those who catalogue it invariably send out 
corms the flowers of which have purple 
; stripes in the centre of the three upper 
' petals. The pale yellow form is known as 
L Gladiolus tristis concolor, and, as I have 
I been able to provide some nurserymen with 
seed of it, in a few years" time it should be 
procurable from the trade. Being inforiped 
by a friend that this gladiolus appreciated 
manure, the corms were lifted and planted 
eight inches below the surface above manure 
a foot deep, and one will be anxious to see 
how they prosper under this treatment. 
(Ethionema pulchellum flowered splendidly 
in the late spring, but last year, from some 
unexplained reason, a plant of this species, 
and one of CE. grandiflorum, died when in 
full bloom. Clematis tangutica behaves in 
a most extraordinary way. Early in Febru¬ 
ary it becomes green, but late in March the 
leaves wither, and by early April the plant 
appears dead. About the end of May, how- 
ever, green leaves are again put forth, and 
it continues to grow and flowers in July. It 
has behaved in this manner for the past three 
years, and, although I have consulted seve¬ 
ral experts, no one has been able to account 
for this strange behaviour. Clematis indivisa 
lobata was a glorious sight in March and 
early April, a plant covering a space of six 
feet in height and forty feet in length, being 
^ sheet of flower. 
Daphne Blagayana, with all its shoots 
press^ into the ground by stones, flower^ 
^ell in the spring, as did tbe beautiful D. 
eneorum. Osteomeles anthyllidifolia' was 
pretty when bearing its clusters of 
^hite hawthorn-like flowers, and appears 
q^ite hardy, as it is said to thrive in the 
^pen in Oxfordshire without protection. It 
was discovered in China by the Abbe Dela- 
^y; In Miarch Edwardsia (Sophora'i Mac- 
^biana was covered with yellow flowers, 
bis species and E. grandiflora appear to be 
airiy free flowerers, but E. microphylla 
«iy rarely blooms in tbis country. Carpen- 
• ^ c^bfornica was very handsome when 
full flower, as was a large specimen of 
I^^ys Winteri. ^ ^ 
«rispnm having grown too tall 
W back, but is breaking strongly 
j Atragene alpina has increased 
dill flowered well, as 
the Handsome Tricuspidaria lanceolata, 
whli Crinodendron B[ookeri; 
x dependens bore a fair 
white blooms, but cannot for a 
Caliw ^ compare with its relative for effect, 
reil salignus bore a profusion of its 
lanceolatus did not 
Waa^ ^ Plagianthus Lyalli, which 
from New Zealand as a small 
no\v 5about six inches high, is 
flowel^"^ 12 feet in height, and 
abundantly this summer. A variety 
^ grandiflora was planted two years 
ago, but has not flowered yet. The leaves 
are, however, absolutely distinct from those 
of the type, so the blooms may also vary. 
The New Zealand Arthropodium cirrhatum 
flowered poorly this year, though in former 
seasons it has borne a dozen or more bloom- 
spikes. Echium callithyrsum bore tall, blue¬ 
flowering shoots in March, but it is a very 
tender plant, and is generally badly damaged 
in a hard winter. Lathyrus pubescens, grow¬ 
ing against a south wall, reached a height 
of over seven feet, and bloomed profusely, 
though whether it will come through the 
winter remains to be seen. Salvia dichroa, 
from the Atlas Mountains, was very fine, ex¬ 
ceeding eight feet in height, and bearing its 
tall purple and white flower-spikes in quan¬ 
tity. This plant, I believe, is not offered by 
any nurserymen, but is extremely handsome. 
Abelia floribunda, against a south wall, was 
a sheet of colour in the spring, and a large 
mass of Androsace lanuginosa about a yard 
across has been flowering all the summer. 
One of the most beautiful plants in the 
garden has been the rare Dierama (Sparaxis) 
pulcherrima alba. A group had over two 
dozen tall, arching flower-wands, each set 
with from eight to ten drooping clusters of 
pure white blossoms, and created a most 
lovely picture. This plant is only catalogued 
by one nurseryman, who lists it at 38. 6d. a 
bulb. Watsonia coccinea perfected its scar¬ 
let flower-spikes in the late spring and early 
summer, and W. Ardernei threw up a dozen 
flower-scapes of the purest white early in 
August; but W. rosea did not bloom. A 
plant of Cypripediufn pubescens bore over 
two dozen flowers, and, later on, C. specta- 
bilis flowered well, as did the rare Wul- 
fenia Amherstiana. Ourisda coccinea, watered 
very freely in dry weather, succeeded ad¬ 
mirably, and bore several do®en brilliant 
scarlet flower-heads, and was a beautiful 
sight when in full bloom. 
A group of Dictamnus fraxinella alba was 
very handsome when in flower, and in August 
Francoa ramosa bore its tall white spires of 
bloom. This Chilian plant appears perfectly 
hardy here. Bowkeria Gerardiana has never 
flowered so well as this season, and was full 
of bloom. The specimen is eight feet in 
height, and as much through, and is prote 
ably the largest example in England. It is 
a very rare shrub, and is scarcely ever met 
with. Lonicera Hildebrandiana came into 
flower early in August, and bore quite a 
hundred bloom-clusters. It is growing on a 
north-west wall, where it ^ts about three 
hours’ sun in the day, but it never fails to 
bloom freely. The plant is eight feet in 
height and six feet across. The blossoms 
are six inches in length and five inches 
spread at the mouth. They are at first white, 
but turn to a bright orange, and are most 
deliciously scented. Lonicera syriniganth-a is 
another very pretty honeysuckle with ex¬ 
tremely fragrant flowers. 
Oonvolvulus tuguriorum, a very rare New 
Zealand plant, bore its white flowers, two 
inches across, in the early summer. It is 
almost unknown in English gardens, but is a 
very attractive subject. The new Chinese 
Thalictrum dipterocarpum, with maidenhair¬ 
like foliage, threw up a flower-stem three 
feet high, the small, pink, yellow-centred 
flowers being very pretty. Gerbera Jame- 
®oni flowered fairly well, and the uncommon 
Campanula punctata produced masses of 
blossom. Ipomaea rubro-cserulea, started in 
heat in May, came into bloom in the open in 
July, and has now reached a height of fcven 
feet The rare Lobelia laxa perfected its 
scarlet blooms in the early summer, a fine 
plant of Olearia insignis flowered well, and 
a seedling is making fine growth. Solanum 
aviculare is bearing its large violet-purple 
flowers with their golden centres, and is 
covered with fruit, from which self-sown 
seedlings will probably appear. It is far 
tenderer than most New Zealand shrubs, and 
is almost invariably killed in a hard winter. 
Bouvardia triphylla has been a sheet of 
scarlet for the past two months, and the 
Australian Candollea tetranara has been 
bsaring its yellow blooms. This plant was 
cut down to the ground and apparently killed 
ill the severe frost of February, 1912, but 
subsequently broke from the roots again and 
is now a fine little shrub about two feet 
high. Cyrtanthus lutescens and C. McKenni 
have come into flower in a narrow, well- 
backed border; and Manettia bicolor is 
blooming finely on a wall. Clethra arborea, 
which was nearly killed in the severe frost 
alluded to, came into bloom early- in August, 
and Trachelospermum jasminoides has 
flowered well. Cassia corymbosa has com¬ 
menced its flowering period, and will carry 
blossoms until Christmas. 
Of the sisyrinchiums, S. bellum has been 
a marvellously lovely sight, being absolutely 
covered with blue flowers; and S. chilense 
and S. iridifolium have bloomed well. Aspa¬ 
ragus deflexus has mounted the wall to a 
height of several feet, and the Lapagerias, 
red and white, are now in flower on a north¬ 
west wall. Montbretia Prometheus is in fine 
flower, and the rare Crinum Moorei varie- 
gatum has perfected several flower-scapes of 
white blossoms. A little plant of the newly- 
introduced Leptospermum Nichollsi is mak¬ 
ing good growth, and an extremely interest¬ 
ing plant is Campanula isophylla variegata, 
whose lavender-blue blossoms are prettily f5et 
off by the marbled foliage, which bangs over 
a two-foot rock. Mitraria coccinea has been 
a glorious sight, having been covered with 
its scarlet urn-shaped flowers. ' 
Wyndham Fitzherbkrt. 
Kingswear, Devon. 
WESTMALINE SYSTEM OF 
PLANT CULTURE. 
Mr. C. E. West, of Higham Hill, N.E., 
sends us a lengthy article on what he de¬ 
scribes as the “ Westmaline System of Plant 
Culture.” Mr. West declares that he is the 
sole inventor of this new system, and then 
proceeds to state that, " At the present time, 
it is the one belief all over the world, that 
all vegetation, including wild and cultivated 
plants, feed on ingredients found in the 
soil, or compost, in which they g^w. On this 
belief millions of pounds are spent on 
manures every year. This I state to be a 
false doctrine; for all vegetation lives on 
the four organic elements contained in 
water, air and light. The mineral elements 
in the soil are only present as deterrents 
to fungoid and insect pests, the soil thus 
only acting as the best receptacle for re¬ 
taining the water and air.” Neither students 
of plant physiology or practical cultivators 
are likely to accept Mr. West’s views on the 
manner in which plants obtain nutrient 
matter. 
Amaryllis. —^Most of the bulbs used for 
flowering during the spring and early sum¬ 
mer months are now booming well ripened, 
and as the foliage dies down they may be 
stored under the ^age of a cool house, laying 
the pots on their sides that there may be no 
possibility of their being watered by drip 
from the plants above. Later batches, and, 
indeed, any that still have green leaves, 
should be kept in the full light, preferably on 
the shelf of a moderately heated, airy struc¬ 
ture, gradually reducing the water supply 
until finally rested. Store with the earlier 
plants. Seedlings raised in the spring or 
summer of 1912 may be kept in a growing 
condition within the interm^iate house, and 
if considered necessary, give them a top-dress¬ 
ing. Under judicious treatment a fair per¬ 
centage of these ma^ be expected to flower 
next year. Those raised from seed this year 
should be kept growing on the stove shelf, 
and when sufficiently rooted, be shifted into 
54’8. Care must be taken in watering that 
the soil does not by any chance pass into a 
wet and sour condition.— Prime, Hatfield 
House Gardens. 
