April  7,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
301 
number  of  progeny,  but  in  the  fact  of  using  suitable  varieties  for  cross¬ 
breeding.  For  instance  you  may  take  the  pollen  from  a  good  dark 
variety  and  use  it  on  the  fine  light  one,  or  vice  versa,  but  with  what  result  ? 
You  would  naturally  expect  beautifully  striped  varieties,  but  would  be 
disappointed,  although  occasionally  you  might  got  a  good  striped  one. 
The  majority,  however,  would  do  credit  to  neither  parent.  If  improved 
flowers  are  wanted  select  two  good  darks,  two  good  lights,  or  two  good 
striped,  carefully  remove  the  pollen  from  the  flowers  that  are  to  be 
operated  on,  fertilise  with  the  required  pollen,  and  the  results  will  be 
both  satisfactory  and  interesting.  While  speaking  of  the  seed-bearing 
plants,  it  is  best  if  possible  to  keep  them  plunged  until  the  seed  is  ripe, 
as  the  ripening  takes  a  great  deal  out  of  them.  Do  not  leave  more  than 
one  pod  to  a  plant  if  it  can  be  avoided.  A  pod  contains  usually  from 
fifty  to  eighty  seeds,  although  I  once  had  an  Empress  of  India  with 
over  100  ripe  seeds  in  it,  and  from  90  to  95  per  cent,  of  freshly  sown 
home  grown  seeds  will  germinate  under  favourable  conditions. 
Insect  Pests. 
Bug  is  a  very  bad  thing  to  deal  with,  as  when  the  leaves  die  down  it 
hibernates  in  tlie  soil  and  in  the  scales  of  the  bulbs.  Where  any  has 
been  detected  during  the  growing  period  remove  all  that  can  be  reached, 
and  in  winter  remove  all  loose  scales,  and  wash  with  XL-All  insecticide, 
rubbing  it  well  into  the  scaly  portion  of  the  bulbs  with  a  small  painter’s 
brush.  Brown  scale  is  also  troublesome  at  times,  and  must  be  washed 
off  with  an  improved  insecticide  whenever  detected.  It  is  always  best 
to  keep  these  pests  thoroughly  in  check,  as  any  handling  of  the  plants 
results  in  some  of  the  leaves  being  broken  when  they  are  most  required. 
Black  thrips  are  also  troublesofne,  but  fumigating  with  XL-All  vaporiser 
speedily  puts  an  end  to  them.  Slugs  are  very  fond  of  the  flower  spikes 
when  they  first  appear.  They  may  be  trapped  with  Lettuce  leaves, 
Orange  peel,  or  bran,  and  caught  at  night  time,  or  where  slugs  abound 
many  spikes  will  be  devoured. 
GeNEEAL  llEMAEKS. 
It  is  six  or  seven  years  since  we  took  up  the  cultivation  of  this 
handsome  class  of  flowers.  We  had  then  a  few  seedlings  which  had 
attained  flowering  size,  and  a  few  bulbs  of  leading  varieties  were  pur¬ 
chased  from  a  noted  firm.  From  these  and  purchasing  seed  our  present 
stock  has  been  worked  up,  and  we  have  a  good  supply  of  flowers  from 
the  latter  part  of  February  until  the  end  of  April.  They  are  always 
much  admired  by  visitors  to  the  gardens,  and  are  most  useful  for  decora¬ 
tions  in  the  house  in  a  variety  of  ways.  We  have  found  their  cultivation 
much  easier  and  simpler  since  devoting  a  house  entirely  to  them  ;  when 
we  had  only  a  few  they  seemed  to  be  always  in  the  way  and  wanted 
moving.  Some  people  talk  of  flowering  them  two  and  three  times 
yearly.  They  are  welcome  to  do  it.  We  are  quite  satisfied  with  their 
blooming  once.  Others  keep  them  moist  always,  and  make  them  semi¬ 
evergreen  ;  but  they  are  not  so  satisfactory  as  when  thoroughlj"  rested 
in  winter,  neither  are  they  so  good  to  rid  of  insect  pests. 
Size  of  blooms  seems  now  to  be  one  of  the  chief  requirements  in  a  high- 
class  flower,  and  blooms  with  green  centres  are  denounced.  A  good 
bloom  should  be,  if  a  self,  of  bright  colour  ;  sepals  and  petals  as  nearly 
equal  as  possible,  large  in  size,  and  quite  round.  In  the  striped  ones  the 
markings  shoiild  be  clear  and  distinct. — W.  J.  Ieeland. 
HARDY  SHRUBS  AND  PLANTS  IN  TOWNS. 
(^Concluded  from  page  286.) 
Amongst  climbing  plants  the  Virginian  Creeper,  which  belongs  to  the 
Vine  tribe,  stands  well  to  the  front  as  an  ornamental  plant.  In  autumn, 
with  its  beautiful  tinted  leaves  close  carpet-like  growth  against  a  wall, 
it  stands  unsurpassed  in  neatness  and  beauty.  This  plant  does  not 
climb  by  twisting  like  the  Convolvulus  and  Scarlet  Runner,  or  by  aerial 
roots  like  the  Ivy,  or  by  ordinary  tendrils  like  Peas,  but  by  those  which 
are  furnished  with  suckers  at  their  ends,  and  by  them  adhere  to  their 
supports,  whether  boards,  trees,  or  walls,  the  latter  being  far  the  best. 
Another  trailing  plant  which  may  be  used  as  a  climber  in  towns  is 
called  the  Tea  Tree,  Box  Thorn,  Lycium  barbarum,  or  the  Duke  of 
Argyle’s  Tea  Tree.  It  gained  the  latter  name  by  its  leaves  being  used  as 
a  substitute  for  China  Tea,  about  100  years  ago  by  the  then  Duke  of 
Argyle.  There  may  be  a  little  difficulty  in  inducing  it  to  grow  at  first, 
but  once  let  it  get  established  far  more  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in 
removing  it.  Although  the  words  Thorn,  Box,  and  Tea  are  so  much 
used  in  its  popular  names,  it  has  no  affinity  with  any  of  them,  but  belongs 
to  the  Nightshade  family,  and  is  a  native  of  the  countries  bordering  on 
the  Mediterranean. 
Of  the  common  White  Jasmine  (.lasminum  officinale)  Ivindley  says. 
The  pride  of  the  cottagers,  and  the  envy  of  the  citizen,  within  whose 
smoky  streets  no  arts  can  make  it  flourish.”  This,  however,  is  not  so  ; 
it  grows  very  well  in  Spring  Street  and  other  places  in  Hull.  It  is  a 
native  of  the  mountains  in  India,  whence  years  ago  it  found  its  way  to 
the  Persians  and  Arabs,  who  called  it  Yasmeen,  and  thence  passed  to 
Europe,  and  was  known  in  this  country  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  flowers  yield  the  oil  of  Jasmine,  but  not  by  distillation. 
It  is  obtained  through  the  agency  of  oil  of  Ben,  which  is  afforded  by  the 
seeds  of  Moringa  aptera,  and  this  in  cotton  wool  extracts  the  fragrance  of 
Jasmine  and  other  flowers  placed  on  it  whic^  have  not  sufficient  basis  in 
themselves  to  fix  their  scent.  This  Jasmine  affords  a  good  example  of 
unequally  pinnated  leaves. 
Clematis  vitalba,  popularly  called  “Traveller’s  -loy,”  because  it 
beautifies  the  roadside  hedges  ;  “  Virgin’s  Bower,”  because  it  often  covers 
arl)ours  and  summer  houses  ;  “  Old  Man’s  Beard,”  alluding  to  the  silky 
elongated  styles;  “Smoke  Wood,”  because  the  boys  sometimes  use  the 
dry  hollow  stems  for  a  cheap  smoke,  stands  at  the  head  of  the  list  for 
hardihood,  rapidity  of  growth,  defiance  of  smoke,  dust,  and  crowded 
places.  It  will  grow  in  sunshine  and  out  of  it,  but  rather  objects  to 
winds,  which  often  break  off  the  ends  of  the  shoots  and  so  retard  its 
growth.  I  have  seen  it  growing  well  in  a  back  yard,  where  it  had  been 
planted  in  a  hole  cut  through  a  flag-stone.  It  soon  covered  the  walls, 
then  coolly  climbed  over  into  the  next  yard  and  filled  it,  and  the  next  and 
next  too.  I  have  seen  it  growing  vigorously  in  a  passage.  True  its 
flowers  are  not  very  grand,  but  it  produces  an  abundance  of  green  leaves, 
and  will  cover  very  quickly  a  great  extent  of  walls  or  fences  with  a  little 
assistance  in  securing  the  growths.  What  more  can  be  expected  in  a 
town  plant  ?  It  does  not  climb  by  twisting  round,  or  by  aiirial  roots  or 
tendrils,  but  uses  the  stems  of  its  leaves  for  the  purpose.  It  just  turns 
the  entire  leaf  once  round  anything  it  can  grasp,  taking  a  strong,  firm 
grip  of  it,  finally  placing  the  leaf  in  its  proper  position,  and  a  very  simple 
and  effectual  mode  it  is.  Another  peculiarity  ot  this  plant  is  the  growth 
of  the  jiistil  after  fertilisation  has  taken  place,  imparting  a  fluffy 
appearance. 
Now  for  a  few  words  about  herbaceous  plants.  The  good  old  Iris 
germanica  grows  and  flowers  well  in  town  gardens.  This  plant  is  said  to 
have  been  introduced  to  this  country  from  Germany  in  1573.  There  are 
a  very  large  number  of  varieties,  all  very  beautiful,  and  deservedly 
becoming  general  favourites.  This  Iris,  commonly  called  the  blue  Iris, 
or  Fleur  de  Luce,  was  the  emblem  of  the  French  kings. 
Another  plant  that  succeeds  admirably  is  the  London  Pride  (Saxifraga 
umbrosa),  also  known  in  some  places  as  “None  so  Pretty,”  which  name 
has  been  corrupted  into  “  Nancy  Pretty.”  Smith,  writing  of  this  plant, 
says  it  is  a  pretty  rosulate-leaved  herb,  a  native  of  this  country  and 
Ireland.  It  appears  to  have  been  first  brought  into  special  notice  as  a 
garden  plant  by  George  London,  who  was,  between  the  years  1681  and 
171 7,  a  celebrated  nurseryman  and  gardener,  and  with  his  partner,  Mr. 
Wise,  held  more  than  100  acres  of  ground  known  as  the  Brompton  Park 
Nursery,  now  occupied  by  the  South  Kensington  Museum  and  the  Albert 
Hall.  What  a  change  ! 
Another  excellent  town  plant  is  found  in  the  Evening  Primrose 
((Enothera  biennis).  It  is  called  Evening  Primrose  because  its  flowers 
open  about  6  or  7  P.M.,  and  are  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  smelling  like  a 
Primrose.  It  has  no  botanical  affinity  with  Primroses,  but  belongs  to 
the  same  order  as  Fuchsias  and  Willow  Herbs.  Some  people  consider  it 
to  be  a  doubtful  native  of  this  country,  while  others  believe  it  to  be 
indigenous. 
None  of  the  Heaths  or  their  allies  will  grow  with  me,  but  nearly  all 
hardy  bulbs  succeed,  such  as  Tulips,  Hyacinths,  Lilies,  Snowdrops, 
Bluebells,  and  Narcissus,  though  the  sparrows  often  eat  the  flowers  of  the 
latter.  Antirrhinums  grow  well,  as  do  "W^allflowers  and  Lily  of  the 
Valley.  This  plant  is  a  native  of  Britain  and  other  parts  of  Europe, 
being  generally  found  in  shady  places  in  woods,  and  as  commonly 
cultivated  in  gardens.  The  Foxglove  may  be  added.  This  is  one  of  our 
showiest  native  plants,  generally  found  growing  on  the  margins  of  and 
the  open  parts  of  woods,  where  it  is  conspicuous  by  its  tall  spike  of  hand¬ 
some  flowers.  Many  garden  varieties  are  very  beautiful. 
There  is  a  small  creeping  or  trailing  plant,  called  by  the  learned 
Lysimachia  nummularia,  popularly  Loosestrife,  Moneywort,  Twopenny 
Grass,  Herb  Twopence,  and  about  London  Creeping  Jeany.  This  much- 
named  plant  should,  I  think,  be  much  more  grown  than  it  is.  I  often  see 
it  in  vases,  hanging  gracefully  down,  studded  with  its  yellow  flowers, 
and  think  I  must  make  more  use  of  it. 
Dielytra  formosa,  Michaelmas  Daisies,  Epilobium  angustifolium,  and 
E.  hirsutum  must  not  be  forgotten  as  good  growers  under  adverse 
conditions,  and  I  therefore  regard  them  as  useful  plants.  Galystegia 
pubescens,  the  American  Bell  Blind,  and  Convolvulus  sepium,  the  large 
white-flowered  Bindweed,  make  two  serviceable  climbers  in  small  places, 
where  their  roots,  or  rather  underground  stems,  are  prevented  from 
spreading  too  far,  and  so  causing  trouble.  I  think  ever^’one  must  have 
seen  the  giant  Siberian  Cow  Parsnip  (Heracleum  giganteum).  It  often 
attains  the  height  10  or  12  feet.  I  believe  it  is  the  tallest  plant  in  all  the 
order  Umbellifcras.  It  is  a  stately  plant,  and  will  grow  almost  anywhere. 
Lupins  also  do  well.  In  Germany  and  in  some  parts  of  this  country  the 
yellow  Lupin,  L.  luteus,  is  cultivated  for  ploughing  in  as  manure. 
Another  old  vigorous  plant  should  be  mentioned,  T  mean  the  common 
Tansy.  Much  cannot  be  said  about  the  beauty  of  its  flowers,  but  the  leaves 
are  finely  cut  and  curled,  and  are  of  a  pleasing  green.  This  plant  will, 
like  the  Heracleum,  grow  almost  anywhere,  and  is  credited  with  many 
virtues,  besides  yielding  tanacetic  acid. 
I  have  named  a  few  shrubs  and  plants  which  I  have  found  to  grow 
under  adverse  conditions.  I  hope  there  are  many  more  plants  that  will 
grow  in  towns,  and  this  is,  I  think,  a  proper  time  to  make  a  special  study 
of  them  ;  also  I  would  hope  that  many  towns  will  gradually  be  made  more 
suitable  for  plants  by  the  provision  of  wider  streets  and  open  squares  where 
the  sun  can  shine  on  every  habitation,  and  where  trees,  shrubs,  plants  and 
flowers  will  flourish,  purifying  the  air,  beautifying  the  scene,  and  giving 
pleasure  to  all  who  see  them.  Will  it  not,  then,  follow  that  dwellers  with 
such  surroundings  will  have  better  health,  live  happier  lives,  and  have 
better  reason  than  now  to  say,  “There  is  no  place  like  homel” — 
A.  E.  Peake, — (Read  at  a  meeting  of  the  Hessle  Gardeners  Mutual  Improve¬ 
ment  Society.) 
