THE AUSTRALIAN GARDE* ER, 
April 1, 1904 
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mob given them sufficient sun to develop 
them as they should have been. But when 
ene flower fails in this respect, another 
takes advantage of the mildness of the sea- 
zon, and so we found Pelargoniums looking 
- their very best, and vying with them were 
Werbenas, which we are pleased to note as 
<oming a little more into favor, and for this 
we think gardeners will find themselves 
andebted to Mr. McInnes, whose specialis- 
img tabled a fine show of first prize blooms. 
Another old favorite we were pleased to 
see well represented was. Phlox. Few 
Gowers surpass Phlox for daintiness, bright- 
mess, and beauty of tinting when taste- 
fully grouped in beds. The spikes of 
Gladiolus were good, but the individual 
blooms might have been improved upon 
for size and distinctive coloring. We find 
it impossible to particularise, but cannot 
pass without a word of commendation and 
welcome to the staging of a fine lot of 
Begonias by Mr. W. L. Hartland, from 
Victoria. We hope the introduction of 
Mr. Hartland is only the beginning of 
more extensive competition from our 
neighbours in other classes. Mr. Hart- 
land’s display was certainly very fine, and 
well deserved the first awards. The New- 
man firm and Mr. Giles are difficult exhi- 
bitors to beat, and we think, without say- 
ing positively, that this is the first occa- 
sion on which they have been beaten 1n 
such an all round fashion. We believe, 
however, that they can do better, and the 
competition may serve a good purpose 
when these gentlemen meet again, as we 
hope they will. There is plenty of room 
for popularising the cultivation of 
Begonias, and such competition may have 
the desired effect. 
The showiest cut blooms in the exhibi- 
tion were the Dahlias. We are pleased 
to be able_to reproduce a part of the show 
Dahlia exhibit, and offer a sketchy review 
of the history of this favorite flower. 
“DAHLIAS. = . 
The original flower was named after the 
Swedish botanist, Dahl, in 1791. The 
show varieties number some hundreds, but 
in point of popularity what is now known 
as the Cactus varieties rival them for de- 
eorative purposes. The. original Cactus 
form was introduced from: Mexico in 1879, 
but has entirely given way to the beauti- 
ful forms that have been grown from it. 
The following will be helpful to those 
not conversant with the characteristics’ of* - 
each section :— . 
Show Dahlia is a large double self- 
colored flower, or else the base of the florets 
is of a light color edged with a darker 
shade: in this latter case the flower is 
walled “edged.” 
Fancy Dahlia is similar to the foregoing 
as regards size and form, but has two or 
more colors; either the ground color of the 
fleret. is splashed or striped with other 
colors. or the florets have a darker base 
than the edge, in which case the flower is 
ealled “tipped.” 
Pompon or Bouquet resembles the show 
and fancy type in shape ; its chief attrac- 
ition is the dijninutive size of its flowers and 
free blooming properties. This class is 
invaluable for a constant supply of cut 
flowers. 
Cactus.—A. true Cactus Dahlia should 
have long, narrow, pointed, or fluted 
florets, which radiate from the centre. <A 
variety showing flat petal is no longer 
tolerated. In the best forms the edges of 
the florets are folded back until they meet 
throughout their whole length, ending 
either in a point or a fluted termination. 
This is, without doubt, the most effective 
autumn flower for decorative purposes, and 
at present the most popular section of all. 
CaCTUS DAHLIAS. 
Decorative Dahlias usually resemble in 
some measure the Cactus varieties, but 
which, either by the flatness of the florets 
or a failure in some other manner to come 
up to the standard of a true “Cactus” 
variety, are designated “Decorative.” They 
are not much in favor just now. 
Single consists of but one row of flat 
florets evenly arranged. . 
Single Cactus is similar to the ordinary 
Single, but the florets, instead of being flat 
and even, are curved and curled. 
HYBRIDS OF BEGONIA 
SOCOTRANA. 
The introduction of Begonia. sccotrana 
in 1880 was a particularly notable event, 
firstly, from the fact that the discovery of 
Begonia on the Island of Socotra was 
totally unexpected; next, the species sc 
discovered was in every way distinct from 
any other in cultivation; and thirdly, 
viewed from present day knowledge, is the 
circumstance that it has proved to be the’ 
originator of a new race of Begonias, some 
of which rival the members of the tube- 
rousrooted section in their showy  blos 
soms, yet they flower during the dull days 
of winter, at which period the Andean hy- 
brids are quite dormant. To Messrs. 
Veitch belongs the honor of raising the first. 
hybrid from Begonia socotrana, viz:, the 
variety John Heal, which flowered in 1885 
and was then awarded a first-class certifi- 
cate by the Royal Horticultural Society. 
Since then Messrs. Veitch have devoted a. 
good deal of attention to this section of 
Begonias, and some of the fruits of their 
labors were well shown at the Drill Hall 
meetings in November and December last, 
when they exhibited splendid groups, cosi- 
sisting of varieties of this charming section. 
Not only are the forms now in cultivation 
very beautiful, but there are great possibili- 
ties for the future, and we may some day 
see as wide a range of color and form as now 
exists among the varieties of the tuberous 
Begonia. In one respect, however, these 
hybrids of B. socotrana differ greatly from 
the summer-flowering group, and that is in 
their sterility, hence it is necessary to in- 
crease them by cuttings. These hybrids of 
B. socotrana have their resting period, and 
that is after the flowering season is past. 
At that time they must be kept moderately 
dry, but not to the same extent as tiie 
members of the tuberous-rooted section, as. 
these socotrana hybrids have more of a 
thickened root-stock than a tuber. Early 
in the summer they should be shaken out 
of the old soil and repotted. Some half 
‘a dozen of these varieties are obtainabie, 
and there are some newer kinds, of which 
sufficient stock has not yet been obtained 
to offer them for sale. 
No mention of hybrids of Begonia 
socotrana would be complete without 
M. lemoine’s Gloire de Lorraine, 
which is undoubtedly the most 
popular winter-flowering Begonia of the 
present day. Concerning its appearance 
and cultural requirements much has been 
written, but its early history is not so well 
known. It was raised by M. Lemoine at 
his nursery at Nancy in 1891, the parents 
being B. socotrana and B. Dregei. Distii- 
buted in the spring of 1893, it rapidly be- 
came popular, in this country at least; in- 
deed, it made much more headway in the 
land of its adoption than of its birth. The 
white sport Caledonia bids fair to be exten- 
sively grown. Prior to the distribution 
of the variety Gloire de Lorraine, M. Le- 
moine put into commerce two other hy- 
brids of B. socotrana, said to be obtained 
between that species and another Begomia, 
probably B. Roezli. The varieties were 
Triomphe de Nancy and Triomphe de Lor- 
raine, but they are rarely seen nowadays. 
—W. T. 
THY JAPAN EULALIAS. 
The Fan Grasses or Eulalias of Japan are 
now, I believe, placed in the genus Mis- 
canthus, butit will,probably be some time 
before the latter name becomes current, and 
so we may stick to Eulalia, for the present 
at least. I have long grown ‘these’ beau- 
tiful grasses; both green, striped, lined and 
barred, but never saw their fan-like ‘plumes. 
so profusely produced or so fully developed 
as they are this season." They will always ~ 
be valued for their freshness and grace in 
the garden, but the inflorescence is ‘an’ ~ 
added gain, as each grassy stem, 5 ‘ft. to 7 
- ft. in height, is topped by a feathery fan 
of dark reddish purple, from which the ~ 
golden anthers dangle and shimmer in the- 
hot sunshine in a very pretty way. Later 
on the spikes become a mass of silvery fluff, 
and remain bright and beautiful all the: ~ 
winter unless they are cut for decoration. 
—F. W. Bursince. ine 
