April  8,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
299 
UTRICULARIA  RHYTROPHYLLA. 
When  well  grown  some  of  the  most  notable  of  the  Bladderworts 
are  exceedingly  pretty,  and  should  be  more  frequently  seen  in  culti¬ 
vation.  One  of  the  best  of  these  is  that  depicted  in  the  illustration 
(fig.  66),  viz.,  Utricularia  rhytrophylla.  The  specific  name  is  apparently 
derived  from  a  Greek  word  referring  to  the  long,  narrow,  strap-like 
leaves,  bat  the  chief  character  of  the  plant  rests  in  the  flowers.  These 
are  large,  of  a  fine  parplish  hue,  with  an  orange-coloured  projection  at 
the  base  of  the  broad  rounded  lip-like  portion,  and  are  borne  in  slender 
graceful  racemes  from  the  base  of  the  plant.  It  thrives  well  in  small 
baskets  of  peat  and  sphagnum  suspended  from  the  roof  of  an  inter¬ 
mediate  house. 
luxuriant  health.  The  varieties  cultivated  were  imbricata,  anemonm- 
flora,  alba  pleno,  Mathotiana,  Beali,  Countess  of  Derby,  fimbriata 
alba,  Parini,  Fordi,  and  Victoria  antwerpensis. 
Two  small  houses  devoted  chiefly  to  Orchids  contained  some  good 
examples  of  the  popular  varieties  of  Cattleyas,  Cypripediums,  Dendro- 
biums,  Vandas,  Ltelias,  Angraecums,  Aerides,  Phalaenopsis,  and  many 
others.  The  Orchids  looked  well  cared  for,  and  bore  anmistakeable 
traces  of  skilful  cultivation. 
In  an  adjoining  greenhouse  were  good  Cinerarias,  and  other  useful 
plants  for  house  embellishment,  and  in  the  Peach  house  were  nicely 
trained  trees  of  Alexander,  Early  Beatrice,  Early  Louise,  Royal 
George,  Bellegarde,  Grosse  Mignonne,  and  Pitmaston  Orange  Nectarine. 
On  a  shelf  close  to  the  glass  was  the  collection  of  Chrysanthemums  in 
small  pots,  in  which  were  all  the  leading  sorts,  new  and  old.  Whilst 
Mr.  Stephens  studies  the  wants  of  the  Chrysanthemum,  and  grows  his 
plants  and  flowers  to  a  state  of  high  perfection,  it  is  not  to  the  detriment 
of  other  things,  for  every  plant,  whether  it  be  inside  or  out,  is  equally 
cared  for  and  grown  to  the  best  advantage. 
In  the  kitchen  garden  proper  there  weie  useful  frames  for 
forcing  and  plant  culture,  the  usual  flats  of  vegetables,  and  in  the 
orchard  a  collection  of  the  leading  sorts  of  Apples,  including  between 
thirty  and  forty  of  the  best  and  newest  sorts  in  cultivation.  It  would 
only  be  a  repetition  of  what  is  continually  appearing  in  lists  of  the  best 
Apples  to  enumerate  the  soits  ;  this  may,  however,  be  said,  the  trees 
were  healthy  and  vigorous,  and  such  as  any  gardener  and  his  employer 
might  be  equally  proud  of.  In  conclusion,  the  gardens  were  in  the  best 
state  of  keeping,  and  reflected  the  highest  credit  on  the  skill  and  care  of 
Mr.  Stephens,  and  were  fit  for  any  gentleman  to  visit. — Quintin  Read, 
Evesham. 
The  variety  just  alluded  to  is  the  most  distinct  break  in  the  collec¬ 
tion,  but  some  of  the  others,  both  new  and  old,  are  of  the  very  best 
quality,  both  in  respect  of  colour  and  of  form.  Some  are  intensely 
rich  in  the  depth  of  colour,  while  others  are  of  exquisite  softness. 
Mention  may  be  made  of  a  few  of  these,  commencing  with  Surprise. 
This  is  a  splendid  variety,  of  which  the  ground  colour  is  white,  and  the 
veins  bright  red.  The  form  and  substance  leave  little  to  be  desired. 
Richly  beautiful  are  the  very  deep  red  flowers  of  Ora,  while  those  of 
Tamora — velvety  crimson,  suffused  with  lake — are  no  less  attractive. 
Very  charming  is  Florizee,  with  its  bright  red  streaks  on  the  white 
ground  ;  and  the  same  may  well  be  said  of  Mephista,  which,  though 
small,  is  of  great  merit ;  the  colour  is  salmon  rose. 
Of  the  most  intense  shade  of  velvety  crimson  is  Euphrasia,  but  it  is 
IN  METROPOLITAN  NURSERIES. 
Amaryllis  at  Chelsea. 
Amaryllis  or  Hippeastrums,  it  matters  not  which  you  call  them, 
for  by  either  name  they  are  greenhouse  bulbous  plants  that  produce 
richly  beautiful  displays  of  flowers  at  this  period  of  the  year.  To  the 
botanist  they  are  Hippeastrums,  but  with  the  gardener  the  older  name 
still  holds  good,  and  finds  most  favour.  As  it  is  to  the  latter  that  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture  speaks  more  particularly,  their  cognomen 
shall  stand  at  the  head  of  these  brief  notes,  written  to  call  particular 
attention  to  one  of  the  finest  collections  of  Amaryllis  in  the  country — 
that  of  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery,  Chelsea. 
Here  may  be  seen  plant  after  plant,  flower  after  flower,  all  in  the  full 
glow  of  health,  notwithstanding  adverse  atmospheric  conditions  ;  indeed 
in  such  state  as  to  prove  their  adaptability  for  town  culture,  while  at  the 
same  time  pointing  conclusively  to  the  careful  attention  that  is  bestowed 
upon  them  by  Mr.  John  Heal,  the  grower,  These  plants  have  many 
desirable  attributes,  a  fact  which  would  warrant  their  beiDg  far  higher 
in  favour  than  is  the  case  at  the  present  moment. 
The  Chelsea  plants  represent  practically  all  stages  from  the  juvenile 
that  has  not  yet  flowered  to  the  oldster  that  is  relatively  speaking 
getting  hoary  with  honourable  age.  Then  there  are  others  that  are 
passing  or  past  their  prime  of  flowering  for  this  season,  while  many 
more  are  just  pushing  up  the  stout  stems  at  the  apex  of  which  will 
be  the  handsome  blooms.  The  extension  or  elongation  of  the  flowering 
season  is  simply  a  question  of  culture  with  which  every  practical 
cultivator  is  familiar,  and  it  is  worthy  of  adoption  by  reason  of  the 
beautiful  spectacle  that  can  be  produced  even  where  only  a  dozen 
specimens  are  at  the  summit  of  their  beauty  at  the  same  time.  Succes- 
sional  drying  off  and  successional  starting  are  the  backbone  of  the 
system  referred  to. 
Amongst  the  hundreds  of  plants  to  be  seen,  including  some  of 
the  best  varieties  in  cultivation,  and  representing  years  of  patient 
labour  in  hybridisation,  the  colours  most  noticeable  are  shades  of  red, 
though  persistent  efforts  are  still  being  made  to  widen  the  range.  In 
this  direction  there  is  one  break  that  must  be  reckoned  with  in  the 
future,  for  it  provides  that  encouragement  which  is  dear  to  the  heart  of 
all.  It  is  found  in  a  new  one  named  Arona,  in  the  colour  of  which 
yellow  may  be  distinctly  seen,  though  it  is  not  yet  such  as  would  justify 
an  appellation  as  Golden  Queen.  It  is  a  step  onward,  as  everyone 
will  admit.  The  ground  colour  is  pale  green  perceptibly  flushed  yellow, 
and  with  orange  red  markings  at  the  edges  of  the  bloom,  which  is,  in 
comparison  with  some  of  the  others,  a  trifle  faulty  in  form.  However, 
the  shape  can  readily  be  had  ;  it  is  the  colour  that  is  the  difficulty  over 
which  the  experimentalist  has  to  rise,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  will  rise. 
not  more  conspicuous  than  Scio,  with  its  bright,  shapely,  crimson  scarlet 
blooms.  Others  of  more  than  ordinary  merit  are  Hidalgo,  Cythera, 
Camis,  Atalante,  Nysa,  Francisca,  and  Emin.  These  are  only  a  few  of 
the  comparatively  new  ones,  but  they  are  all  to  which  reference  can  now 
be  made. — D,  R. 
Olivias  at  Forest  Hill. 
It  cannot  yet  be  said  of  Olivias  that  they  have  become  really  popular 
plants,  but  it  is  certain  that  their  culture  is  becoming  more  and  more 
extended,  probably  by  reason  of  the  many  improved  varieties  that  are 
being  yearly  introduced  by  hybridists  of  note.  It  is,  too,  equally  a  fact 
that  they  are  deserving  of  far  more  extended  attention  both  by  pro¬ 
fessional  and  amateur  cultivators,  for  they  are  amongst  the  very  easiest 
of  plants  to  grow,  and  moreover  the  price  asked  for  them  is  by  no  means 
exorbitant,  though  some  of  the  new  and  scarce  are  perhaps  beyond  the 
very  small  amateur.  A  large  portion  of  the  credit  of  popularising  the 
tuberous-rooted  Begonia  is  universally  and  deservedly  accorded  to  the 
veteran  hybridist  Mr.  John  Laing,  and  if  the  Olivia  ever  command 
even  a  moiety  of  the  esteem  claimed  by  the  more  gorgeous  plant  just 
mentioned  the  same  gentleman  will  find  his  renown  still  more  enhanced. 
FIG.  66.— UTRICULARIA  RHYTROPHYLLA. 
