April 1, 1905 
great care, desired me to hold it for him 
without regard to price. This being an 
old and established firm, fixes forever its 
value for millinery uses, so you may rest 
assured on that matter, for it is fixed fcr 
all time by this decision coming in this 
way from the most extensive dealers in exis- 
tence.’ One thing which can be depended 
on is the honesty of Mr. Burbank, and this 
quotation from his letter will show the 
value of this most interesting novelty. 
W. R. Pierson. 
VIOLAS. 
In order to preserve these in a florifer- 
ous condition, remove all seed pods and 
the more advanced flowers, and the plants 
will bloom with renewed vigor. 
They will enjoy a much. longer season, of 
bloom if the seed vessels are systematically 
removed and the plants are well supplied 
with water during hot spells. 
CLEMATISES. 
Amongst the many creeping and ram- 
bling plants with which our gardens 
abound, or may.do so if we wish, the Cle- 
matises stand out as of conspicuous excel- 
lence. From this splendid family may be 
chosen plants that will grow in almost 
any garden and in any situation, which is 
more than can be said for most other 
genera. True, they sometimes fail with 
unexpected suddenness, and without an ap- 
parent cause, but we may say the same of 
many other things that have not got such 
a bad name for the fault. 
I should like to see Clematises in. goodly 
numbers in every garden, for they are in- 
dubitably worthy of all the honor that can. 
_be accorded to them. What matters it if 
a plant now and again does die? They 
are procurable at such reasonable prices 
that it is not a serious item in the garden 
account if one or two have to be bought 
in every season. For several years Messrs. 
Jackman. & Son have been busily engaged 
in developing this genus, but it was not 
until the late Temple Show that it was 
fully realised how strikingly successful had 
been their efforts. The exhibit then ar- 
ranged was wonderful, as illustrating the 
superb beauty of these plants, and it 
should certainly give a great impetus to 
their cultivation. 
There are several distinct types of Cle- 
miatises, almost all of which are represented 
by varieties of different colors, and one may 
say that all of them will adorn a garden. 
But to grow some dozens is not possible 
when space is limited and a rigid selection 
becomes essential. Fortunately the skill 
of the raisers has been directed as well to 
the extension of the range of coloration as 
to the development of size, and we now 
have a choice from which all may secure 
the colors that meet’ their appreciation. 
There is no necessity for any one to dilate 
upon. the charms of such favorites as Flam- 
mula, indivisa, montana, and Vitalba, as 
these are universally acknowledged, so I 
shall devote my space to the enumeration 
of some of the forms of coccinea, Florida, 
THE AUSTRALIA~ GARDENER, 
Jackmanii, lanuginosa, patens, and Viti- 
cella in the order of their names. 
The coccinea section is made up of hy- 
brids which are ever growing in numbers 
and in beauty. The following are very fine: 
Countess of Onslow, violet purple ; Duchess 
of Albany, bright pink ;Duchess of York, 
blush pink; and Ville de Lyon, carmine. 
If newer, and proportionately more expen- 
sive ones are desired, try the magnificent 
King Edward VILI., violet: puce, and Queen 
Alexandra, pale lavender and purple. 
The varieties of C. Florida are admired 
by every one for their delightful flowers. 
Here are three beauties: Belle of Woking, 
silver grey; Duchess of Edinburgh, pure 
white, fragrant; and John Gould Veitch, 
lavender blue. Each of these produces 
double flowers. To praise the grand Jack- 
mani were superfluous indeed, for it is the 
most beloved of all. The variety superba 
is superb in fact as in name; while alba. is 
the acme of refinement. Two others that 
should not be overlooked are Madame 
Edouard Andre, bright red, and Prince of 
Wales, puce purple. 
Let us now glance for a moment ati the 
lanuginosa section with its glorious flowers. 
Alba magna, pure white; Blue Gem, pale 
blue; Louis van Houtte, purple; and Otto 
Froebel, grey white, may be regarded with 
favor by planters. Of the patens division: 
one could scarcely overpraise Fair Rosa- 
mond, blush; Lady Londesborough, deep 
mauve; Miss Crawshay, pink; and Mrs. 
G. J. ackman, satiny white, for their charms 
are such as to grow upon us all. To com- 
plete the sections we have the Viticella 
forms, of which the variation from the type 
known as rubra grandiflora, claret, is su- 
perb. A pair of beauties might well com- 
prise Hendersonii, purple, and Lady Bo- 
vill, grey blue. Every one of those included 
in the foregoing selections is worthy of a 
trial, and if the colors suit the especial 
taste of the cultivator they are sure to 
bring delight. 
H. J. W. 
GODETIAS. 
Among the many annuals which we can 
grow with the greatest ease in our gardens 
we are fortunate in being able to include 
the beautiful Godetias. Suitable alike for 
sowing in clumps, in lines, or in borders 
devoted exclusively to them, they never 
fail to secure a very large share of atten- 
tion and admiration. The plants, if they 
are grown from seeds sown in good soil, 
will produce flowers of considerable size, 
very rich in color, and of charming form, 
over a very protracted period. 
Complaints have been made that all an- 
nuals are fugacious, and no doubt this is 
true in some degree; but if we admit this 
as a fault we are forced to recognise the 
fact’ that where the plants are properly 
treated the flowers are borne in such con- 
stant succession that their transient dura- 
tion 1s scarcely appreciable. Deeply 
worked soil that has been enriched with 
good natural manure is the primary essen- 
tial; the seeds must be sown thinly,’ the 
young plants must be thinned early, and to 
7 
a distance of at least 6 in. asunder, or the 
greatest. success need not be looked for. 
But beyond all these comparatively simple 
things we have one other detail of impera- 
tive importance, and that is the constant 
removal. of the dead and decaying flowers, 
for directly this is neglected the plants 
turn their best attention to seed produc- 
tion instead of to the development of fur- 
ther supplies of flowers. A- border of 
these delightful annuals as seen in a: cot- 
tage garden is represented in the accom- 
panying illustration. ; 
To those who do not want to produce any 
particularly striking effect, the packets of 
seeds of mixed varieties will appeal; but 
to those who desire the best possible dis- 
play named varieties are strongly recom- 
mended. Some of the best are Duchess of 
Albany, white; Lady Albemarle, crimson ; 
Lady Satin Rose, rose; Princess of Wales, 
ruby crimson; and The Bride, white and 
carmine.—D. W. 
SEEDLING CARNATIONS. 
Because it is a most fascinating line of 
work, full of interest and pregnant with 
possibilities, the raising of seedlings 1s now 
undertaken on nearly every place where car- 
nations are grown. All the details of cross- 
fertilization are now fairly well understood, 
as also the essential points which count in 
the judging of a carnation and in the selec- 
tion of parents for a progeny, which, it is 
fervently hoped, will bring with it at least 
one, possibly several, brand-new prize-win- 
ners. All this id very nice and proper, and 
should not be set down as merely a profit- 
less waste of time and labor. It begets and 
fosters a deeper knowledge of plant life, 
creates an interest in nature’s hidden work- 
ings, inspires hope and gives pleasure, and 
is more likely to advance than to retard 
floriculture. Therefore, let us rest content 
and not deal out discouragement to those 
anxious to grow seedling carnations. 
Although the manual part of cross fer- 
tilization in the case of indoor carnations 
may to good advantage be carried on ati 
any time during the entire winter, the 
months of November and December haye 
been found to be the best time to take 
this, the first and most important step to- 
ward the raising of a good batch of seed- 
lings. Another essential point is to sow 
seeds when they are ripe, Occasionally 
if not taken off in time, the seeds. will 
sprout while still in the pod, especially 
if the house is kept rather moist. More 
often the seeds rot if not gathered in when 
ripe. For this reason alone it is advisable 
to keep a close watch. When the pods 
have lost their crisp green color and appear 
to be drying up, turning to a brownish- 
yellow in spots, they should be cut off, 
placed in a dish or on a sheet of paper, 
left to become entirely dry in the sun or 
near a warm place for a day or two, when 
they may be broken up and the seeds sown 
without further delay. Those seeds that 
have sprouted while yet in the pod must 
be carefully handled and sown at once. The 
