JuLY 1, 1902, 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
we survey a variety like the fluted form of 
Primrose we can well believe it. But it is a 
fearful prospect. To sum up, we want in 
the ideal ‘standard’ a large, bold, erect seg- 
ment, firm, substantial, and leathery, smooth 
at the edge, even in outline, and symmetri- 
cally rounded. We will be fairly satisfied if 
it is the size of a half-crown, so long as the 
shape is right, but we shall get it bigger, and 
with the quality, too. Such varieties as 
Senator, America, and Stanley are noteworthy 
for excellence of standard, but there are many 
more. 
Turning to the next pair of petals—the 
wings. ‘These should not be erect, like the 
standard, or the tip of the keel would become 
unduly prominent. In the variety of Golden 
Gate, which is not a yellow, the wings are 
not vertical and open, given a resemblance to 
a pair of half-open gates; but this we must 
suppress with the strong hand. We will pass 
through the gates and away. 
The wings should be closed at 
the top, and slightly folded or 
hooded, so as to hide the tip of 
the keel. This likewise gives 
full exposure to the standard. 
In the keel we have another pair | 
of segments, cohering so as to 
form a small pouch. We need 
not worry after formhere. If the 
wings do their duty: only the 
front of the keel will show. 
CoLour. 
Colour must play an impor- | 
tant part in a system of Sweet - 
Pea classification; indeed, Mr. 
Wright considered the - future 
would allot to it the leading posi- 
tion in view of thefew variations 
likely to oc cur in form.  -By 
the exercise of yery little in- 
genuity we might put nearly all 
the leading varieties into one of 
several well-defined groups. We 
have :— 
(1) Se/fs.—This is a large, im- 
portant, and beautiful class, and 
perhaps no better example of 
a pure self could be found than 
Salopian. 
(2) flakes. —A fairly large 
class, and one likely to increase in 
popularity. We have crimson 
flakes such as America, mauve 
flakes like Gaiety, rose flakes like 
Aurora, blue flakes like Grey- 
friar, and maroon flakes like 
Senator. 
(3) Bicolors.—In one sense flakes are bi- 
colors, but it would be logical to adopt a 
system of classifying as bicolors those varie- 
‘ties which haye one well-defined in the 
standard and another in the wings. 
(4) Fancies.—There are, and must be, no 
inconsiderable number of varieties which re- 
fuse to be disposed of so easily as the rest. 
Take, for example, the lovely Lottie 
Hutchins, which is lightly splashed ‘with 
pink on an ivory ground. It is nota true 
self, nor is it a true flake. Again, there is 
the brilliant Mikado, which is mottled almost 
like an herbaceous Calceolaria.. These varie- 
ties might be classified as fancies, with the 
subdivision white fancy, rose fancy, &c., 
taking the ground colour as the distinguishing 
feature, Galasa) So et ecw 
(5) Picotee Edges.—A* very small class at 
present, but one that might increase. 
O 
SWAINSONA. 
after Isaac Swainson, and is described . 
by Johnson asa greenhouse Australian 
evergreen shrub. If the editors of this very 
excellent botanical work were to take a little 
jaunt through some of the south-eastern 
and western country of Australia, they 
would have seen this beautiful pea 
shrub blooming in all its glory in 
the wilds, and they might have noted, 
| HIS most beautiful little shrub is named 
of its usefulness for art decorating, but the 
purple (Occidentalis) and the rose (Osbornii) 
are superb for decorations when effec- 
tively set out. The plant is easily grown 
from seeds, 
To Grow Lilium Speciosum in Pots: for 
Exhibition. 
As arule several bulbs of this lily are grown 
in one large pot, as the effect is more decora- - 
tive, but in this you must be guided-by the 
schedule. Pot the bulbs one in a 5-in. pot, 
or three in a To-inch pot. After the drainage 
half fill the pots with compost, consisting of 
equal parts loam, peat, :leaf-mould, decayed 
manure and sand, and place the bulbs thereon, 
covering With half an inch of compost. 
Place the pots in a cold frame, 
greenhouse, or shed, and cover 
with ashes or cocoanut fibre 
refuse till growth begins, when 
remove to light, airy greenhouse. 
Or open position out- doors after 
November or December. Water 
freely when in full growth, and 
fill up the pots with compost 
when stem roots show. After 
flowering {continue to water until 
the foliage turns. yellow when 
gradually cease, keeping dry until 
May jor later, when they may 
be repotted. 
Table and House Decoration. 
Nothing looks better for the 
breaklast table at this time of 
the year than very small Ferns, 
placed in little white china, 
silver, brass, or copper Fern 
pots, covering the top of each 
pot with fresh green Moss. On 
the centre of the table have a 
basket or dish piled up with 
Swainsona. 
for general information, that the “green- 
house” part of their description did not apply 
to Australia, Its beauty as a garden shrub, 
and the rarity of finding it under cultivation 
in our gardens, are full warrant for giving 
it a prominent place in “The Australian 
Gardener.” It is one of the most beautiful 
in colour and profuse in bloom of all our 
native plants, while the foliage with its 
fern-like gracefulness, is worth cultivation 
for that feature alone. Jt may be somewhat 
straggling in habit, but a very little attention 
with a piece of string will easily overcome that 
difficulty. It it is not ungraceful under any 
conditions and very hardy. Our illustration 
of the white variety gives an excellent idea 
fruit (without which no break- 
fast table is complete)—Apples, 
Oranges, Bananas, &c.; then 
arrange round it and about the 
table the little Ferns, and you 
will find your breakfast table 
will look charming. 
The present is rather a bad time from 
the decorator’s point of view; for though 
flowers of certain kinds are: fairly plentiful, 
those which are most effective for decora- 
tion are rather scarce. Chrysanthemums 
have entirely gone out, and the useful 
Daffodil is still some way off from coming 
in. However, it is a consolation to think 
that a very few flowers will generally go a. 
long way towards the effect required, if 
judiciously disposed and handled. 
_A good plan when buying flowers is to 
nip a little off the end of each stalk before 
placing them in water; and in winter it is 
better to use tepid water for them, which 
should be renewed every day. 
