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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  11,  1897. 
stems  are  showing  well  above  the  plants  the  glass  may  be  removed. 
These  little  plants  like  a  rather  moist  position  in  peaty  soil.  They  are 
not  very  often  seen  in  gardens,  but  usually  please  everyone  with  their 
pretty  bell*like  fringed  flowers.  The  Soldanellas  are  quite  hardy  and 
will  flower  among  the  snow,  but  the  glass  seems  to  be  needed  to  induce 
them  to  flower.  Our  comparatively  sunless  winters  appear  to  be 
unfavourable  to  their  flowering. 
Cbocits  biflorus  argenteus. 
Are  there  many  who  know  this  variety  of  the  “  Scotch  ”  Crocus  1  I 
question  if  there  are.  It  is  described  as  “  snow  white,”  and  nothing 
can  be  nearer  in  the  way  of  telling  in  words  the  peculiar  white  of  the 
flower.  There  seems  just  a  sufficient  addition  of  a  tincture  of  blue  to 
give  the  blooms  the  glittering  coldness  of  look  given  by  snow.  Not 
that  one  is  affected  the  same  way  as  if  we  looked  on  a  cold-giving 
material,  but  it  is  almost  marvellous  how  nearly  the  effect  of  snow  is 
produced  without  the  actual  sensation.  Then  the  effect  is  heightened 
by  the  bright  orange  colour  of  the  anthers  and  stigmata,  and  it  is 
possibly  the  warm  colour  of  these  which  deprives  the  flowers  of  the 
coldness  of  their  snow-like  petals.  The  ordinary  C.  biflorus  looks  almost 
ivory-white  when  placed  beside  C.  biflorus  argenteus. 
Hardy  Cyclamens. 
Judging  from  the  columns  of  the  gardening  press,  the  hardy  Sow¬ 
breads  are  likely  to  be  a  little  better  appreciated  than  hitherto.  In 
“Brief  Notes  ”  one  cannot  enter  into  much  detail  about  them,  but  a  few 
lines  may  with  advantage  be  devoted  to  mentioning  the  few  really  hardy 
species.  The  earliest  of  these  is  C.  Coum,  a  long  known  little  species 
with  round  leaves  and  small  crimson  or  white  flowers.  The  next  is 
C.  Atkinsi,  which,  for  anything  definitely  known  about  it,  may  either  he 
descended  from  C.  Coum,  or  be  a  hybrid  of  that  species  and  C.  ibericum. 
It  may  be  had  in  various  shades  of  red  or  white.  Both  of  these  flower 
very  early.  Coming  in  July,  or  at  times  later,  is  C.  europaeum,  another 
little  round-leaved  species,  varying  from  pink  to  carmine.  This  does 
not  usually  do  so  well  in  British  gardens,  and  probably  wants  a  little 
more  shade  than  it  generally  receives. 
Then  comes  C.  neapolitanum,  whose  flowers  come  before  the  leaves, 
and  are  also  of  various  shades.  The  leaves  of  this  are  very  prettily 
marbled,  and  are  very  ornamental  all  through  winter.  It  is  quite  hardy, 
but,  like  the  others,  prefers  some  shade.  Young  plants,  or  plants  in  pots, 
are  the  best  to  purchase,  and  the  crown  of  the  tuber  ought  to  be  put  an 
inch  or,  better  still,  2  or  3  inches  below  the  surface.  A  rather  free  soil 
is  better  than  a  stiff  one,  and  some  plant  with  success  in  grass  under  deci¬ 
duous  trees. — Alpinus, 
THE  DAISY  PEA. 
The  provision  of  a  constant  supply  of  Peas  of  the  best  quality 
throughout  the  summer  months  is  an  item  of  work  with  which  every 
gardener  has  to  reckon.  Ittounds  a  comparatively  easy  thing  to  do^with 
the  dozens  of  excellent  varieties  now  in  commerce,  and  from  which  the 
grower  has  to  make  a  selection.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  are  far  too 
many  Peas,  some  of  them  introduced  as  distinct  fixed  novelties,  which 
are  only  selections  from  old  ones,  tbat  after  a  season  revert  to  the  parental 
type.  It  would  be  advantageous  if  the  list  were  curtailed,  and  no  matter 
how  hard  it  had  to  be  compressed  Daisy  would  of  necessity  remain. 
It  is  beyond  a  doubt  one  of  the  finest  dwarf  early  Marrowfat  Peas 
in  cultivation,  and  it  is  one  that  ought  to  >e  grown  in  every  garden 
whose  owner  appreciates  Peas.  Sturdy  and  branching  habit,  requiring 
no  stakes,  coming  early  and  remaining  late  in  profitable  oroductiveness, 
giving  green  peas  of  considerable  size  and  of  best  quali.  ,  it  is  one  of 
the  very  front  rank.  Like  many  other  splendid  Peas,  it  w  s  put  on  the 
market  by  Messrs.  J.  Carter  &  Co.  of  High  Hoi  born,  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  the  photographic  illustration  given  in  fig.  48. 
WINTER  FLOWERS  AT  DE  WALDEN  HOUSE. 
At  this  the  princely  Eastbourne  residence  of  Lady  Howard  de  Walden 
gardening  is  carried  out  in  a  spirited  manner,  as  this  rruch-respected 
lady  takes  great  interest  in  the  garden.  She  is  well  supported  by  Mr. 
J.  Simmons,  her  head  gardener,  whose  ambition  seems  to  be  the  provi¬ 
sion  of  agreeable  surprises  in  the  way  of  floral  displays  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year. 
Many  houses  have  been  recently  erected,  and  a  fine  spectacle  presents 
itself  in  the  show  houses — Primulas,  Cyclamens,  Cinerarias,  Pelargo¬ 
niums,  Azaleas  mollis  and  indica.  Lilacs  are  grown  in  numbers  for  this 
work,  and  are  arranged  in  groups  of  about  fifty  of  a  .kind,  intermixed 
with  foliage  plants,  and  is  a  pleasing  and  novel  display.  Good  but 
neglected  plants,  such  as  Strobilanthes  (Goldfussia)  anisophylla, 
Manettia  bicolor,  and  Centropogon  Lucianus  are  well  grown.  The 
former,  with  its  lilac  flowers,  is  very  pretty.  Manettias  are  grown  on 
pyramid-trained  frames  about  a  foot  high,  and  are  a  mass  of  attractive 
Bcarlet  and  orange  flowers — a  grand  plant  for  decoration  work  as  seen 
here.  Centropogon,  with  bright  rosy  scarlet  sprays  six  and  seven  to  the 
plant,  are  most  graceful  and  attractive  also. 
The  stove  plant  houses  contain  a  not  over-large,  but  a  clean  collection 
of  useful  flowering  and  foliage  plants.  Conspicuous  amongst  the  former 
Anthurium  Scherzerianum  is  flowering  freely,  while  Palms  and  well 
coloured  Dracaenas  and  Crotons  are  evidences  of  high-class  culture  in  the 
foliage  sections.  There  is  also  a  good  collection  of  bardwooded  Ericas 
of  all  the  leading  kinds,  seldom  now  grown,  but  great  favourites  of  her 
ladyship.  Some  of  them  are  3  feet  through,  and  represent  all  tbe- 
leading  and  popular  kinds.  Azaleas  look  well,  and  promise  a  brilliant 
show  later  on. 
The  various  fruit  houses  show  signs  of  activity.  Peaches  well  ini 
bloom,  Vines  breaking  well.  Forced  Strawberries  are  a  special  feature^, 
and  fine  crops  of  forced  Beans  are  noticeable.  A  plant  not  often  seen  is- 
Sonchus  laciniatus,  of  a  slender  Aralia-like  habit.  Several  are  grown 
FIG.  48.— PEA,  CARTER’S  DAISY. 
here,  standing  upon  pots,  and  are  beautiful  objects,  the  laciniated  leaves 
hang  gracefully  even  over  the  pots.  Some  of  the  specimens  are  fully  - 
2  feet  high.  The  grounds  are  well  kept.  Every  corner  and  nook  seems 
to  be  utilised,  and  planted  with  something  of  interest  suitable  for  the 
various  positions.  The  same  may  be  Baid  of  the  walls  and  fences,  the 
object  being  to  turn  everything  possible  into  use  for  either  foliage  or- 
flowering  plants.  The  place  inside  and  out  is  a  model  of  cleanliness,  , 
while  practical  skill  is  evident  in  every  department,  the  credit  of  which? 
is  due  to  Mr.  Simmons,  who  has  had  the  entire  charge  since  the  forma¬ 
tion  of  this  interesting  garden. — Urbanus. 
