June  3.  1-97. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
485 
of  12  to  15  feet.  For  grace  of  habit  this  cannot  be  excelled  by  any 
other.  The  branohes  are  long,  thin,  and  pendulous,  usually  destitute 
of  leaves,  but  during  J uly  literally  covered  with  bright  golden  flowers. 
G.  virgata,  which  also  attains  a  height  of  12  to  14  feet,  and  a  width 
equalling  the  height,  is  an  upright  growing  species  from  Madeira.  It 
does  well  in  sandy  soil,  and  always  flowers  freely.  It  is  one  of  the  best. 
G.  cinerea  is  one  of  the  latest  to  flower.  It  makes  a  bush  3  to  4  feet 
high,  with  long  thin  branches.  The  flowers  are  yellow,  and  produced 
late  in  July.  G.  hispanica  forms  a  dense  bush  about  2  feet  high  and 
2  to  3  feet  in  diameter  each  way.  The  growths  are  short  and  spiny,  the 
flowers  deep  yellow,  and  produced  in  short  upright  racemes  from  the 
points  of  the  young  growths  about  the  beginning  of  June.  So  freely 
does  this  species  flower  that  when  fully  expanded  little  or  no  growth  is 
to  ,be  seen.  It  is  a  native  of  South-west  Europe.  G.  sagittalis  is  a 
dwarf-growing,  free-flowering  species.  It  is  a  very  interesting  plant, 
differing  from  any  of  the  other  Genistas  by  the  membranous  margins  of 
the  stems.  The  flowers  are  produced  on  upright  terminal  racemes  from 
the  current  season’s  growth.  They  are  deep  yellow  in  colour.  When  in 
flower  the  plant  does  not  exceed  8  inches  in  height,  consequently  it  is 
a  good  plant  for  rockwork,  or  for  a  carpet  to  a  bed  of  taller  plants. 
G.  pilosa  and  G.  tinctoria  are  both  good  flowering  species,  and  well 
worth  growing.  A  prostrate  form  of  G.  tinctoria,  having  double  flowers, 
is  very  pretty,  and  ought  to  be  found  in  every  garden. 
To  grow  these  plants  well  they  should  be  cut  back  (after  flowering 
in  the  case  of  those  which  flower  on  old  wood,  and  in  spring  in  the  case 
of  those  which  flower  on  young  wood)  for  the  first  two  or  three  years, 
so  as  to  get  a  good  foundation  for  the  plant.  A  stock  of  young  plants 
should  be  raised  every  few  years  to  replace  exhausted  ones.  It  is  best 
to  propagate  all  the  species  from  seeds  and  all  the  varieties  from  cuttings, 
as  they  do  much  better  from  cuttings  or  seeds  than  when  grafted. 
Cuttings  root  best  if  put  into  a  cold  frame  in  sandy  soil  in  August  and 
kept  close  all  through  the  winter.  They  will  then  be  found  to  be  rooted 
about  the  end  of  March . 
If  possible  they  should  be  planted  in  their  permanent  quarters  when 
a  year  old,  big  plants  moving  badly.  If  there  is  plenty  of  room  at 
disposal  it  is  advisable  to  grow  all  the  best  sorts  in  5-inch  pots  until 
planted  out  for  good.  When  planting  care  should  be  taken  to  make  the 
soil  firm  round  the  collars,  otherwise  the  least  wind  blows  them  about. 
All  growths  should  be  kept  pinched  back  the  first  year  to  a  few  buds  in 
order  to  obtain  a  good  foundation. — W.  D. 
RAISING  SPRING-FLOWERING  PLANTS. 
The  cultivator  must  always  be  looking  forward.  A  good  display  of 
bloom  in  spring  is  only  secured  by  sowing  at  a  suitable  time,  so  that  the 
plants  may  have  time  to  grow  to  a  useful  size,  and  become  strengthened 
before  activity  ceases  for  the  season.  Plants  raised  late  are  and 
frequently  remain  weakly,  seldom  flowering  well.  There  is  also  the 
probability  of  losing  them  in  the  winter,  especially  in  unsuitable  soils 
and  climates.  These  are,  therefore,  strong  grounds  for  not  deferring  the 
work.  In  addition  favourable  germination  is  obtained  with  less  atten¬ 
tion,  and  a  sufficiently  bushy  with  a  sturdy  habit  is  developed,  while 
roots  of  a  fibrous  character  are  more  abundantly  produced.  It  follows 
from  the  successful  carrying  out  of  these  preliminaries  that  there  will  be 
a  greater  certainty  of  ultimate  success. 
The  preparation  of  the  ground  for  sowing  the  seed  should  be  effective. 
Rich  soil  is  not  requisite,  though  it  ought  not  to  be  poor  and  shallow. 
If  moderately  fertile,  moist,  and  partially  shaded  it  will  be  suitable. 
Dig  it  well  over,  pulverising  the  whole  to  a  fine  tilth.  A  friable  surface 
being  secured  the  seed  may  be  sown,  but  in  dry  weather  it  is  preferable 
to  apply  water  with  a  rosed  can  before  sowing,  so  that  suitable  moisture, 
so  essential  to  germination,  may  be  present.  It  is  chiefly  necessary  to 
apply  water  when  the  soil  is  comparatively  dry  to  a  considerable  depth, 
alBO  in  the  prospect  of  continued  dry  weather.  Sowing  the  seed  first 
and  watering  immediately  afterwards  is  not  a  good  method  as  a  rule. 
The  advantage  of  watering  prior  to  sowing  is  that  the  moisture  applied 
is  retained  by  the  layers  of  dry  soil  used  for  covering  the  seed.  A  little 
shade  in  the  hottest  weather  may  be  given,  which  frequently  prevents 
the  necessity  of  giving  water  until  the  seed  germinates. 
Seeds  which  may  be  sown  now  are  Wallflowers,  Primroses,  Poly¬ 
anthuses,  Forget-me-nots,  Pansies,  and  Violas.  The  first  three  named 
need  the  longest  growing  period,  and  should  be  sown  as  soon  as  possible, 
so  that  good  plants  may  be  ready  by  the  autumn.  The  method  of  sowing 
may  be  broadcast ;  there  is  no  special  advantage  in  sowing  in  drills. 
The  young  plants  in  all  cases  are  improved  by  transplanting  unless  they 
happen  to  be  sown  so  thinly  that  the  young  plants  do  not  touch  ;  but 
this  can  rarely  be  the  case  without  the  disadvantage  of  utilising  more 
ground  than  is  absolutely  essential.  Therefore,  sow  liberally,  though 
not  lavishly  and  thickly  ;  but  transplant  when  the  seedlings  are  large 
enough  to  handle  readily. 
The  middle  or  end  of  July  is  a  suitable  period  to  transplant  Wall¬ 
flowers,  Primroses,  and  Polyanthuses.  The  two  latter,  of  course,  are 
only  small  when  ready  for  transplanting.  They  may  be  placed  out  with 
a  dibbleror  trowel  on  a  plot  of  ground  made  fine  and  smooth  on  the  north 
side  of  a  wall  or  hedge.  If  deficient  in  humic  matter  add  a  little  leaf  soil 
or  manure.  Give  the  seedlings  a  space  of  about  3  inches  from  each 
other.  Keep  watered  in  dry  weather  until  established,  after  which 
little  will  be  needed. 
Wallflowers,  if  transplanted  in  dry  weather,  are  best  placed  out  in 
drills,  watering  each  row  of  plants  as  they  are  inserted.  First  prepare 
the  ground  by  digging  and  manuring.  Do  not  apply  manure  too  freely. 
Cut  a  straight,  shallow  trench  with  the  spade.  Insert  the  plants  along  it 
with  their  roots  spread  out  at  the  bottom,  covering  them  with  a  layer  of 
soil.  Give  a  soaking  of  water,  then  fill  in  the  remainder  of  soil,  pro¬ 
ceeding  to  take  out  and  plant  another  trench  in  the  same  way  about 
5  or  6  inches  from  the  first.  The  plants  may  be  4  inches  asunder.  The 
advantages  of  this  method  in  dry  weather  are  very  obvious.  The  plants 
appreciate  it  by  rapidly  taking  hold  of  the  soil  without  repeated  water¬ 
ings.  When  the  soil  and  weather  are  moist  the  planting  may,  perhaps, 
be  more  expeditiously  done  with  the  trowel. 
Forget-me-nots,  if  sown  thinly  in  moist  fertile  Boil,  in  any  shady 
position,  do  not  need  transplanting.  In  autumn  they  can  be  lifted  and 
planted  direct  to  the  position  wanted.  Pansies  and  Violas  may  be 
sown  in  drills  or  broadcast  early  in  July.  Should  the  seedlings  come 
up  thickly  early  thinning  may  be  resorted  to,  pricking  out  the  surplus 
seedlings.  This  will  afford  the  whole  of  them  the  means  of  strengthen¬ 
ing  and  becoming  suitable  sized  plants  for  transference  to  a  permanent 
position  in  autumn.  Fa{rly  strong  plants  winter  well  and  bloom  freely 
the  following  season. — E.  D.  S. 
SPRING  BEDDING  AT  EATON  HALL. 
The  gorgeous  display  of  spring  bedding  at  this  princely  establish¬ 
ment  of  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Westminster  has  this  year  been  on  a 
magnificent  scale,  and  beautiful  beyond  description.  I  recently  had 
the  pleasure  of  making  a  tour  of  the  gardens,  where  the  effect  of  a 
master  hand  is  everywhere  visible,  not  in  any  one  department  alone,  but 
in  all  departments,  from  the  beautiful  Orchid  houses  to  the  vegetable 
quarters. 
But  it  was  the  spring  bedding  I  went  specially  to  see  and  of  which  I 
wish  to  speak  here.  What  struck  me  very  forcibly  was  the  limited 
variety  of  plants  that  Mr.  Barnes  had  employed  to  secure  such  a 
beautiful  display,  for  single  Wallflowers  in  separate  shades  and  late- 
flowering  Tulips  in  distinct  varieties  contributed  chiefly  in  making  the 
effect.  Wallflowers  appear  to  have  done  well  everywhere  this  spring, 
hut  here  they  were  exceptionally  good,  the  different  sorts  being  Dickson’s 
Golden  Beauty,  Selected  Blood  Red,  Belvoir  Castle,  Primrose  Dame,  and 
Ruby  Gem,  the  latter  being  a  comparatively  new  variety  which  is  sure 
to  be  more  extensively  grown  when  better  known.  Its  beautiful  rich 
ruby-coloured  flowers  contrast  nicely  with  the  yellow  shades.  Of  Tulips 
such  varieties  as  elegans  Picotee  or  Maiden’s  Blush,  Golden  Eagle,. 
Bouton  d’Or,  Gesneriana  major,  Blushing  Bride,  and  retroflexa,  were 
used  abundantly,  the  general  favourite,  however,  being  the  first-named 
variety. 
Aubrietias  g^seca,  Leichtlini,  and  purpurea,  together  with  Primula 
cortusoides,  played  a  minor  part  in  the  way  of  edgings,  each  being  very 
effective  in  its  way.  Upon  the  occasion  of  the  recent  visit  of  their 
Royal  Highnesses  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales  to  Eaton,  I  under¬ 
stand  they  took  particular  notice  of  the  spring  bedding  generally,  but 
made  special  mention  of  the  Wallflowers  and  Tulips,  and  admired  the 
method  adopted  to  secure  such  beautiful  effects. 
In  passing  hurriedly  through  the  houses,  I  could  not  help  stopping 
to  look  at  the  splendid  collection  of  pot  Carnations,  numbering  about 
5000,  almost  every  plant  being  thickly  set  with  bloom  buds,  but  noDe 
yet  showing  colour,  save  an  odd  plant  of  the  beautiful  yellow  Miss- 
A.  Campbell.  Mr.  Barnes  anticipates  these  will  be  at  their  best 
from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  June,  at  which  time  the  Jubilee  rejoicings 
will  be  in  full  swing,  when  such  flowers  will  be  largely  in  demand  for 
decorative  purposes. — George  Paxton. 
GARDENERS’  ROYAL  BENEVOLENT  INSTITUTION. 
Anniversary  Dinner. 
Members,  friends,  and  patrons  of  this  Institution  met  at  the  White¬ 
hall  R  oms,  Hotel  Metropole.on  the  evening  of  the  26  th  ult.,to  celebrate 
the  fifty-eighth  anniversary  festival.  The  chair  was  taken  by  Loid 
Rothschild,  who  was  supported  by  Sir  Trevrr  Lawrence,  Bart.,  Lord 
Wandsworth,  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  M.A.,  and  H.  J.  Veitch,  Esq.  Includtd 
in  the  assembly  were  M  ssrs.  G.  A.  Dickson,  P.  Crowley,  N.  Sherwood, 
W.  H  Protheroe,  G  F.  Morris,  Algernon  Gilliatt,  C.  Czarnikow,  N.  L.. 
Cohen,  W.  Nutting,  J.  Laing,  H.  J.  Cutbush,  J.  H.  Veitch,  G.  Bunyard, 
G.  Monroe.  Geo.  Cuthbert,  R.  Sydenham,  R.  M.  Hogg,  S.  M.  Segar, 
F.  Lane,  W.  Iceton,  J.  Jeffries,  H.  Turner,  Geo.  May,  P.  E.  Kay,  W. 
Poupart,  T.  Rochford,  Geo.  Pau1,  Jas.  O’Brien,  J.  Godseff,  A.  W.  G. 
Weeks,  T.  F.  Rivers,  G.  Gordon,  G.  Wythes,  N.  F.  Barnes,  P.  Blair,. 
J.  Douglas,  and  Jas.  Hudson. 
After  the  health  of  her  Most  Gracious  Majesty  the  Queen  had  been 
proposed  by  the  Chairman,  and  drunk  with  musical  honours,  followed  by 
that  of  their  Royal  Highnesses  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  with 
the  rest  of  the  Royal  Family,  Lord  Rothschild  rose,  amid  cheering,  t  e 
propose  the  toast  of  the  evening — “  Prosperity  to  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution,”  and  in  course  of  his  brief  speech  said,  “  I 
have  been  told  that  quite  lately,  on  an  o:casion  analogous  to  the  present 
one,  he  who  proposed  the  toast  of  the  evening  began  his  speech  by 
excusing  himself  for  his  appearance  there,  and  by  reminding  those 
who  were  trying  to  listen  to  him,  that  they  well  knew  of  his  dislike 
to  public  dinners.  Now  I  shall  not  tell  you  that  I  dislike  the 
dinner,  nor  do  I  dislike  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution 
(cheers),  and  I  would  ask  those  who,  like  myself,  receive  pleasure 
from  their  gardens  and  their  flowers  who  are  present  this  evening, 
