202 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  24,  1898. 
-  Manuring  Mint. — la  reply  to  “  H.  S.,”  page  239,  I  have  not 
found  Mint  beds  decline  from  a  judicious  top-dressing  of  decayed  manure, 
but  I  have  noticed  the  attack  of  fungus  he  speaks  of  in  the  old,  im¬ 
poverished  portion  of  beds,  also  in  plots  where  the  Mint  was  planted  in 
dry,  poor  situations.  The  reason  of  the  fungus  is  not  so  much  the 
manure,  but  the  natural  result  of  the  decomposition  of  the  old,  exhausted 
underground  rhizomes.  The  most  luxurious  and  healthy  Mint  is  found 
on  the  outside  of  old  beds  or  newly  formed  breadths.  The  best  treatment 
is  to  replant  by  inserting  cuttings  in  the  early  part  of  May. — E.  D.  S. 
-  Transactions  op  the  Scottish  Horticultural  Asso¬ 
ciation. — The  twenty-first  annual  report,  embodied  in  the  “  Transac¬ 
tions  ”  of  the  Society,  is  to  hand,  and  is  written  throughout  in  a  congra¬ 
tulatory  tone.  Everything  is  in  a  sound  state,  and  the  Society  by  its 
meetings  must  be  doing  good  service  to  horticulture  in  Scotland.  The 
papers  that  have  been  read  during  1897  are  given  in  abridged  form,  and 
contain  much  practical  information  on  widely  divergent  gardening  sub¬ 
jects.  The  arrangements  for  this  year  comprise  many  subjects  of 
considerable  interest  to  horticulturists.  Mr.  R.  Laird,  17,  South  Frederick 
Street,  Edinburgh,  is  the  esteemed  Secretary. 
-  Magnolias  in  Pots. — These  showy  spring-flowering  shrubs 
are  admittedly  beautiful  objects  for  covering  walls  in  sunny  positions  ; 
but  how  often  it  happens  that  their  beauty  is  destroyed  in  a  single  night 
by  a  sharp  frost  or  heavy  driving  rain.  Still  I  do  not  want  to  depreciate 
their  great  value  on  that  account,  being  rather  to  plead  for  their  extended 
culture  in  pots.  At  Barford  Hill,  near  Warwick,  I  recently  saw  some 
very  fine  specimens  in  pots  flowering  grandly.  Mr.  R.  Jones  considers 
them  to  rank  among  the  best  of  hardy  shrubs  for  pot  work,  and  in  the 
future  intends  to  grow  them  largely  in  that  way,  as  they  supply  splendid 
objects  for  conservatory  decoration,  as  well  for  handsome  cut  flowers. 
The  varieties  I  noticed  were  conspicua,  purpurea,  and  purpurea  Lenn6. 
— Traveller. 
-  Hebeclinium  (Eupatorium)  ianthinum. — This  fine  member 
of  a  valuable  winter-blooming  family  of  plants  wms  the  other  day  carrying 
very  fine  panicles  or  trusses  of  lavender  blue  flufly  flowers  at  the  Edg- 
baston  Botanic  Gardens.  The  numerous  good  strong  plants  carrying 
blooms  made  it  a  very  striking  feature.  This  strong  growing  variety  is 
much  more  effective  than  are  the  pale-hued,  small-leaved  varieties  so 
commonly  met  with.  It  makes  a  capital  companion  plant  to  cut-back 
Clerodendron  fallax.  The  variety  named  H.  ianthinum,  though  classed 
as  a  stove  plant,  evidently  likes  a  medium  temperature  best,  as  is 
evidenced  at  Birmingham.  Those  gardeners  who  may  want  something 
striking  for  conservatory  decoration  in  the  early  spring  should  get  a  stock 
of  this  fine  Eupatorium. — A.  D. 
NAIICISSUS  MINIMUS. 
I  AM  obliged  to  Mr,  Divers  for  his  interesting  note  on  page  167.  I 
should  be  glad  to  see  more  of  the  same  kind  from  him  and  other  growers 
of  hardy  flowers.  The  first  flower  of  N.  minimus  was  on  a  clump  on  one 
of  the  lower  terraces  of  a  rockery,  with  an  exposure  almost  due  south, 
and  "protected  from  the  north  by  a  greenhouse  about  7  feet  off,  and 
from  the  east  by  the  house,  which  is  about  10  feet  from  it.  It  is 
fully  exposed  to  other  directions,  and  is  in  light  dry  soil.  Our  climate  in 
the  west  of  Scotland  is,  however,  considerably  milder  than  is  imagined, 
and  a  Ross-shire  correspondent  told  me  a  fortnight  ago  that  he  had 
Gladioli  of  the  Ramosus  section  2  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  soil.  I 
have  not  kept  my  garden  book  of  plants  coming  into  flower  very  regularly 
for  some  time,  but  I  see  that  in  1890  N.  minimus  flowered  on  13th 
January  ;  in  1891  on  28th  February  ;  in  1892  on  8th  February.  It  was 
not  in  the  same  position  then,  but  had  more  shelter,  and  a  little  less  sun  in 
winter.  It  may  interest  Mr.  Divers  to  know  that  the  first  blooms  of 
N.  pallidus  prmcox  and  the  Saragossa  Daffodil  opened  on  10th  February. 
The  only  other  record  I  have  of  N.  pallidus  praecox  is  in  1892,  when  it 
opened  the  same  day  as  N.  minor — viz.,  19th  March.  Much  depends 
upon  the  situation,  and  unless  the  plants  remain  in  the  same  situation  for 
several  years  a  record  of  dates  is  perhaps  more  interesting  than  valuable. 
As  a  general  rule,  I  find  that  bulbs  lifted  and  dried  come  into  flower 
earlier  ;  but  here  again  situation  and  also  weather  conditions  come  into 
play,  which  greatly  modify  the  rate  of  progress.  Times  of  lifting  and 
planting  are  important  factors,  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  unlifted 
Narcissi  at  Belvoir  may  have  made  some  growth  before  the  others  were 
planted,  and  that  the  weather  conditions  were  such  as  to  prevent  the  latter 
from  making  growth  for  some  days.  My  remark  was  founded  upon  a 
good  deal  of  experience  with  bulbs  of  various  kinds.  Within  certain 
limits  I  find  that  bulbs,  especially  those  newly  from  the  Continent  and 
Asia  Minor,  which  have  been  dried  come  earlier  into  growth  and  flower 
than  those  established  for  several  years.  This  refers  not  only  to  Narcissi 
but  to  Snowdrops,  Muscaris,  Erythroniums,  and  a  number  of  others. 
These  often  come  into  growth  too  soon  for  their  comfort,  and  to  this  I 
attribute  many  of  the  losses  I  have  had.— S.  Arnott,  Carsethorn,  bv 
Dumfries,  N.B.  ’  " 
EXHIBITING  HARDY  HERBACEOUS 
FLOWERS. 
Your  correspondent,  “  N,  N.”  (page  243),  has  done  good  service  in 
again  ventilating  this  subject.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  managers  of 
flower  shows  may  eventually  see  their  way  to  adopt  the  regulations  of 
the  R.H.S  .Judging  Code  referred  to  in  your  note,  in  which  the  maximum 
size  of  the  tube  is  given. 
The  size  of  many  of  the  bunches  now  exhibited  is  sufficient  to  defeat 
the  object  of  the  competitions,  which  is,  one  would  suppose,  the  encourage¬ 
ment  of  the  growth  of  flowers  for  which  the  prizes  are  offered.  In  many 
of  these  bunches  there  is  no  attempt  to  show  cither  the  habit  of  the 
plant  or  even  what  is  usually  i  equired  in  what  are  known  as  florists’ 
flowers,  the  points  of  merit  of  the  individual  blooms,  spikes,  or  trusses. 
The  great  object  in  the  eyes  of  some  exhibitors  appears  to  be  to  secure 
great  masses  of  colour  to  attract  the  eye.  Too  often  these  tactics  meet 
with  the  approbation  of  the  judges,  and  stands  more  meritorious,  because 
of  more  tasteful  arrangement,  better  grown  flowers,  and  greater  rarity,  are 
passed  over.  I  believe  that  nurserymen  who  show  the  enormous  bunches 
spoken  of  will  in  the  end  find  it  to  their  advantage  to  reduce  their  size  and 
exhibit  more  of  the  little-known  plants.  As  things  are,  frequenters  of 
flovver  shows  who  have  little  opportunity  of  visiting  other  gardens  than 
their  own,  can  form  no  idea  of  the  stateliness  or  grace,  as  it  may  be,  of 
the  flowers  they  see  shown.  A  suggestion  which  has  been  thrown  out 
of  showing  some  herbaceous  flowers  in  pots  is  worthy  of  commendation, 
but,  I  fear,  involves  an  amount  of  work  and  expense  which  few  would  be 
disposed  to  undertake. 
Those  interested  in  the  subject  should  send  Is.  Id.  to  the  R.H.S.  office, 
117»  Victoria  Street,  S.W.,  for  a  copy  of  the  Judging  Code,  which  is  of 
the  greatest  value  to  schedule  makers  as  well  as  judges  and  exhibitors. — 
S.  Arnott. 
NOTES  ON  ALPINE  FLOWERS. 
{Continued  from  page  192.) 
Arenaria  balearica. 
There  are  some  very  pretty  plants  among  the  Sandworts,  and 
although  some  have  larger  flowers,  none  give  more  pleasure  to  the  grower 
of  alpines  than  the  one  under  notice.  It  forms  a  mass  of  growth  scarcely 
rising  above  the  stones  to  which  it  loves  to  cling.  It  is  almost  moss-like 
in  its  appearance  when  out  of  flower,  but  when  it  begins  to  bloom  the 
Balearic  Sandwort  is  freely  spangled  over  with  tiny  wMte  flowers  raised 
a  little  above  the  small  green  leaves.  Arenaria  balearica  likes  a  rather 
moist  place,  and  in  such  will  soon  creep  over  and  cover  a  boulder  of 
sandstone  or  other  porous  rock.  It  is  quite  hardy,  but  if  not  freely 
exposed  to  the  light  is  liable  to  be  lost. 
The  writer  has  never  seen  it  grow  so  well  as  on  the  stones  in  front  of 
a  hardy  fernery,  which  had  a  glass  covering  overhead,  but  was  open  in 
front.  For  the  benefit  of  the  Ferns  the  hose  pipe  was  freely  applied,  and 
the  Balearic  Sandwort  seemed  to  revel  in  the  moisture  and  protection. 
It  covered  the  stones  and  rambled  in  and  out  among  them  in  the  most 
pleasing  way.  On  old  walls  where  fairly  moist  it  often  looks  very 
beautiful.  The  native  habitat  of  A.  balearica  is  correctly  indicated  by 
the  specific  name  of  the  plant — which  is  not  an  invariable  rule  with  plants 
baering  the  names  of  places — as  it  is  a  native  of  the  Balearic  Isles. 
A.  balearica  is  readily  increased  by  division,  but  those  who  wish  to  secure 
its  establishment  in  their  rock  gardens  would  do  well  to  obtain  their 
young  plants  in  pots,  as  they  would  become  established  sooner  than  if 
sent  without  a  ball  of  earth  attached. 
Epimedium  Musschianum. 
While  Mussche’s  Barrenwort  is  not  the  best  of  a  somewhat  neglected 
genus,  it  is  a  pretty  little  plant  which  generally  receives  some  praise  from 
garden  visitors  if  its  somewhat  small  flowers  are  brought  under  their 
observation.  It  is  of  dwarf  habit,  and  the  flowers  are  not  pure,  but  rather 
dull  white  in  colour.  Not  many  flowers  are  produced  on  the  stalks,  and 
the  biternate  leaves  are  composed  of  nine  leaflets,  of  what  are  called 
cordate-ovate  form.  It  is  of  dwarf  habit,  and  grows  only  from  6  to  9  inches 
in  height  as  a  rule,  although  soil,  moisture,  and  position  modify  its  height 
to  a  considerable  extent.  Like  others  of  the  genus,  E.  Musschianum  is 
propagated  by  division  after  flowering.  This  Epimedium  likes  a  peaty 
soil,  and  thrives  well  in  shade,  although  it  grows  very  satisfactorily  in  the 
open.  A  native  of  Japan,  it  was  introduced  in  1836. 
•  Saxieraga  bryoides. 
To  plant  authorities  on  the  genus  this  Rockfoil  is  known  as  Saxifraga 
aspera  var.  bryoides,  but  for  garden  purposes  the  abbreviated  name  which 
appears  above  is  amply  sufficient.  Although  the  growth  is  somewhat 
similar  to  what  is  known  as  the  typical  S.  aspera,  S.  bryoides  is  distinct 
enough  in  general  appearance  to  bo  readily  recognised,  S.  aspera  is  much 
rougher  and  greyer-looking,  and  S.  bryoides  is  much  brighter  green,  and 
in  certain  stages  of  growth  is  extremely  beautiful  through  the  verdancy  of 
its  foliage  and  the  peculiarly  pretty  way  in  which  it  grows,  making  its 
branches  resemble  green  velvet  cords,  if  such  can  be  imagined.  Like 
S.  aspera  it  is,  however,  a  very  shy  bloomer.  It  belongs  to  the  mossy 
section,  and  is  increased  by  division.  S.  bryoides  is  a  native  of  Europe, 
and  prefers  a  rather  moist  position. — Alrinus, 
(To  he  continued.) 
