September  12, 1895, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
245 
fine  breeders  such  as  Goldfinder,  Glory  of  Stakehill,  and  Miss 
Burdett  Coutts  are  worthless  as  exhibition  flowers  when  broken  or 
rectified. 
The  grower  must  not  be  disappointed  if  his  first  blooms  are 
coarse  or  bad,  as  refined  varieties  take  longer  to  come  to  blooming 
size.  Figure  35  shows  a  seedling  Tulip  bulb 
of  blooming  size.  It  is  noteworthy  that  when 
the  seedling  becomes  large  enough  to  bloom  it 
abandons  the  dropper  business  almost  entirely, 
and  dissection  would  show  that  it  had  five 
envelopes  surrounding  the  central  germ,  whereas 
a  non-blooming  bulb  has  only  four.  The  late 
Mr.  M.  Woodman,  an  enthusiastic  Tulip  grower, 
residing  at  Camberwell,  in  1844  prepared  or 
caused  to  be  prepared  some  beautifully  executed 
drawings,  showing  the  dissection  of  a  blooming 
bulb  in  the  month  of  October.  These  are  repro¬ 
duced  in  figs.  36,  37,  38,  and  39,  which  explain  fig.  35. 
themselves.  It  is  pleasant  to  think  that  these 
drawings  are  of  interest  and  value  after  so  many  days,  and 
that  Mr.  Woodman’s  work  will  keep  his  memory  alive  at  least 
a  little  longer. 
The  seedlings  that  are  considered  of  sufficient  merit  to  be  kept 
should  be  distinguished  in  some  way,  and  a  record  of  their 
FIG.  36.— TULIP  BULB  WITH  OSE 
ENVELOPE  removed. 
FIG.  37.— THE  SAME  BULB  WITH 
TnEKB  ENVELOPES  REMOVED. 
FIG.  38.— ALL  FIVE  ENVELOPES  REMOVED, 
SHOWING  GUARD  LEAF  ENCLOSING 
FLOWER. 
FIG.  39.— GUARD  LEAP  AND  FOLIAGE 
REMOVED,  SHOWING  FLOWER. 
parentage  and  a  short  description  entered  in  a  “  stud  ”  bock,  A 
convenient  method  is  to  give  them  a  number  as  the  raisers  of  the 
past  have  done.  Mr.  Hepworth’s  plan  was,  perhaps,  the  best,  as  he 
added  to  the  number  that  of  the  year  in  which  the  seedling 
first  bloomed,  consequently  we  have  Hepworth’s  9/64,  meaning 
the  ninth  seedling  selected  in  the  year  1864.  Raisers  should  never 
part  with  seedling  breeders  unless  named  or  numbered.  Con¬ 
fusion  and  vexation  are  the  chief  results,  as  the  same  variety 
gets  different  names  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  Many 
of  Storer’s,  Hardwick’s,  Collier’s  and  Camp’s  seedlings  are 
hopelessly  mixed  and  confused  by  carelessness  on  this  point. 
It  is  generally  better  to  wait  until  a  seedling  breaks  before  giving 
it  a  name.  A  few  years  will  generally  decide  whether  it  is  ever 
going  to  be  a  notable  flower  or  not.  If,  however,  it  is  sufficiently 
attractive  as  a  breeder  to  win  at  an  exhibition  when  in  competition 
with  other  breeders  it  may  be  named  and  distributed.  In  giving 
names  to  flowers  a  certain  amount  of  discretion  as  to  the  fitness  of 
things  should  be  used  ;  such  high  sounding  names  as  King  of  the 
Universe,  Gem  of  Gems,  and  Glory  of  the  World  are  ridiculous, 
and  excite  the  derision  of  the  profane  outsider.  I  think  it  a  good 
plan  to  commemorate  growers  and  raisers  of  the  past  by  giving 
their  names  to  good  novelties.  It  is  curious,  but  to  my  mind  very 
fitting,  that  the  bold  high  coloured  bizarres  are  generally  named 
after  men  ;  the  delicate  and  dainty  roses  are  almost  invariably 
dedicated  to  the  ladies;  while  in  the  bybloemens,  although  both 
sexes  are  represented,  yet  there,  as  nearly  everywhere  else  in  the 
world,  the  ladies  are  well  to  the  front. 
(To  be  continued.) 
VARIEGATED  PLANTS. 
(  Concluded  from  joage  1 72.') 
Antiiericum  variegatum  is  a  very  useful  decorative  plant, 
easy  to  grow  but  not  widely  known.  When  well  cultivated  it* 
attractive  leaves  are  almost  as  broad  as  those  of  Pandanus  Veitchi, 
and  in  habit  of  growth  it  greatly  resembles  that  well-known  stove 
plant,  but  unlike  it  requires  but  little  artificial  heat.  Propagation 
is  easily  effected  by  division  of  the  roots,  and  a  large  stock  may 
be  quickly  raised  from  one  old  plant  if  this  is  divided  into 
single  crowns  or  suckers,  each  being  placed  in  a  small  pot  and 
stood  in  a  close  pit  or  frame  till  well  established.  The  plants 
should  then  be  shifted  into  5  or  6-inch  pots,  and  grown  close  to 
the  glass  on  a  greenhouse  shelf  or  in  a  cold  pit.  When  established, 
if  given  full  exposure  to  the  light,  abundance  of  water  at  the 
roots,  and  an  occasional  overhead  syringing,  they  will  quickly 
develop  into  fine  plants,  useful  for  arranging  singly  in  vases  or  as 
dot  plants  in  groups.  A  compost  formed  of  rather  light  loam  and 
a  little  leaf  soil  and  decayed  manure  added  is  one  in  which  this 
Anthericum  succeeds  well  in  everyway,  I  like  to  remove  the 
suckers  from  these  young  plants  in  order  to  secure  bolder  leave*  ; 
but  if  a  few  plants  are  allowed  to  grow  at  will  they  form  dense 
specimens,  often  quite  covering  the  sides  of  the  pots. 
No  class  of  greenhouse  plants  that  I  am  acquainted  with  have 
more  graceful  and  pleasing  foliage  than  the  Carex.  For  dinner 
table  work  they  are  indispensable,  and  those  who  have  not  hitherto 
grown  them  have  missed  some  of  the  gems  among  decorative 
plants,  an  oversight  which  ought  to  be  at  once  rectified.  Although 
they  are  easy  to  grow,  and  may  be  speedily  propagated,  it  scarcely 
seems  po.ssible  to  have  too  many  of  them,  because  their  elegant 
leafy  stems  are  much  sought  after  for  mixing  with  cut  flowers,  as 
well  as  for  the  many  uses  they  may  be  put  to  as  pot  plants.  Mar- 
ginata  grandis  and  japonica  variegata  are  two  of  the  best.  During 
the  summer  months  they  thrive  splendidly  in  cold  pits,  which  are 
syringed  and  closed  early  in  the  afternoon.  In  winter  they  succeed 
well  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse,  provided  the  stages  are  kept  rather 
moist.  Where,  however,  large  numbers  are  grown  it  is  a  capital 
plan  to  keep  the  bulk  in  some  structure  where  they  receive  a  little 
artificial  heat  regularly  and  have  frequent  syringings.  The  best 
plants  can  then  be  periodically  removed  to  a  cooler  structure  to 
prepare  them  for  use,  and  those  that  have  done  duty  returned  to 
heat  again.  Several  times  annually  some  of  the  old  plants  should 
be  divided  into  pieces  having  two  or  three  crowns  each ;  these 
being  placed  into  small  pots  soon  grow  into  nice  little  plants, 
especially  if  plunged  in  gentle  heat.  If  this  practice  is  regu¬ 
larly  followed  a  healthy  stock  is  at  all  times  kept  up.  C.  riparia 
variegata,  though  a  British  plant,  is  well  worthy  of  pot  culture, 
as  its  habit  of  growth  is  very  effective  and  the  variegation  dis¬ 
tinct.  Light  rich  soil  of  almost  any  kind  suits  all  the  species. 
Eulalia  japonica  foliis  striata  and  j.  zebrina  are  tall-growing, 
hardy  Grasses  of  such  great  beauty,  and  are  so  well  adapted  for  grow¬ 
ing  in  pots,  that  thej'^  could  not  well  be  omitted  from  my  notes,  but 
their  cultural  requirements  are  so  simple  as  to  need  no  comment. 
In  Eurya  japonica  latlfolia  variegata  we  have  a  fine  ornamental 
plant  with  broad,  showy  leaves ;  well-grown  specimens  are 
admirable  for  placing  in  large  vases  in  halls  and  corridors,  in 
which  positions  they  will  remain  in  good  condition  for  a  long 
time.  If  the  plants  are  placed  in  a  sunny  position  in  the  open 
air  during  the  summer  months  the  variegation  comes  bright 
and  distinct,  and  healthy  vigour  is  maintained.  When  potting 
rather  a  light  compost  should  be  used,  one  consisting  of  two 
parts  peat,  and  one  of  fibrous  loam  with  sand  and  charcoal  added 
answers  admirably. 
That  fine  old  plant  Veronica  Andersoni  variegata  is  a  perfect 
gem  among  greenhouse  shrubs,  as  its  bright  attractive  leaves  are 
beautiful  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and  when  the  shoots  are 
crowned  with  tapering  spikes  of  pale  blue  flowers  the  appearance 
presented  is  altogether  unique.  Cuttings  root  freely  in  cold  pits 
throughout  the  summer  and  early  autumn  months,  and  during 
winter  in  any  structure  where  a  gentle  heat  is  kept  regularly. 
The  present  month  is  a  good  time  to  put  in  a  batch  of  cuttings. 
If  these  are  inserted  in  pots  and  placed  in  close  pits  for  a  few 
weeks,  by  the  end  of  October  they  will  be  ready  for  removal 
to  a  greenhouse  shelf.  Then,  if  transferred  to  small  pots  as 
soon  as  they  are  rooted,  kept  near  the  glass  and  given  larger 
pots  next  January,  they  will  make  good  decorative  plants  by 
April.  Veronicas  are  often  prevented  from  developing  their  true 
character  by  insufficient  supplies  of  water,  being  rapid  rooters  the 
soil  in  which  they  are  growing  speedily  becomes  packed  with 
roots.  When  this  stage  is  reached,  anything  approaching  dryness 
is  inimical  to  their  well  being.  Bad  treatment  in  this  respect 
often  cauies  the  edges  of  the  leaves  to  turn  brown.  Throughout 
the  summer  months  the  plants  succeed  admirably  in  a  sunny 
position  in  the  open  air,  where  they  ought  to  be  syringed  once 
