April  14,  1898. 
'JOURNAL  OF  HORTTCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
cultural  Society.  The  varieties  of  which  notes  were  taken  were  not 
selected  solely  because  they  were  of  immense  size,  but  rather  on  account 
of  their  richness  of  colouration,  distinctness,  or  good  form.  Though  size 
is  certainly  a  desideratum,  there  are  other  things  to  be  considered  ere 
a  competent  judge,  such  as  Mr.  Heal,  will  designate  a  variety  as  being  in 
the  front  rank,  and  amongst  the  essential  points  are  those  mentioned 
above.  Only  about  a  dozen  and  a  half  were  chosen,  and  doubtless  since 
this  visit  was  paid  others  of  equal  merit  have  opened,  and  of  these  it  is 
obvious  no  mention  can  be  made. 
Let  us  commence  with  Alares,  which  for  form  of  flower  could  not 
easily  be  excelled.  Each  segment  is  of  good  width  and  exceptional 
substance,  and  they  combine  to  make  a  very  beautiful  flower.  The  colour 
is  white,  with  occasional  shadings  of  soft  rose.  It  is  indisputably  one  of 
the  best.  Forming  a  grand  contrast  in  colour  to  the  last  named  comes 
Harpagus,  which  possesses  all  the  desirable  attributes  of  a  fine  variety. 
The  colour  is  a  particularly  rich  velvety  crimson.  Very  attractive  is 
Padusa,  of  which  the  ground  colour  is  white  and  the  markings  scarlet. 
This  would  find  favour  with  the  majority  of  visitors,  as  it  is  quite  distinct. 
Amongst  the  most  imposing  must  be  placed  Emo,  with  its  brilliant 
orange-scarlet  flowers,  that  have  no  trace  of  the  greenish  centre  to  which 
so  many  persons  object.  Of  fine  shape  and  striking  appearance  is  Japetus, 
which  is  crimson* scarlet  in  shade.  The  substantial  segments  are  of 
considerable  breadth,  and  are  more  even  in  size  than  in  several  of  the 
flowers  that  were  observed. 
Favorinus  is  the  one  on  which  the  grower  pins  his  faith  as  promising  a 
fresh  break  in  colour.  Throughout  the  whole  of  the  flower  there  is  a 
faint  suffusion  of  yellow — not  much,  but  still  sufficient  to  be  clearly 
perceptible.  The  normal  colour  of  the  variety  is  greenish  white,  with 
crimson  markings  on  each  of  the  segments.  We  shall  look  with  interest 
to  the  development  of  the  yellow  in  future  years.  A  charming  Amaryllis 
is  Macenis.  The  colour  is  white,  with  chaste  rose  stripes  and 
suffusions  from  the  centre  of  the  segments.  One  of  the  darkest  in  the 
collection  is  Farcinus,  which  is  velvety  crimson.  The  middle  of  the 
flower  is  singularly  deep  in  hue,  and  very  attractive  to  visitors.  But  for 
the  green  which  forms  the  centre  of  the  bloom,  it  is  probable  that 
Jobates  would  come  very  nearly  to  the  top  of  the  tree  with 
connoisseurs,  for  in  shape  and  substance  it  is  in  the  front  rank.  Its 
colour — pure  white  with  suspicions  of  bright  rose  on  the  upper  segments 
only — too,  is  very  greatly  in  its  favour. 
The  brilliancy  of  the  scarlet  in  Tamaris,  combined  with  the  stout 
texture  and  fine  shape  of  the  flowers,  makes  it  one  of  the  handsomest  in 
the  house,  though,  so  far  as  the  latter  points  are  concerned,  it  is  little,  if 
any,  superior  to  a  glowing  crimson-scarlet  variety  that  has  been  christened 
Adana,  and  a  third  designated  Zabatus,  and  which  is  also  of  a  crimson 
colour.  The  orange-scarlet  hue  of  Redones  places  this  with  the  most 
distinct,  especially  when  the  delicate  rose  with  which  it  is  suffused  is 
observed  and  appreciated.  Edoni,  scarlet  with  a  white  centre  ;  Raphana, 
white  with  bright  red  markings  ;  Uragus,  lively  crimson  scarlet ;  and 
Varina,  crimson  with  a  flush  of  purple,  are  very  handsome  ;  while  Clonia, 
which  received  an  award  of  merit  from  the  R.H.S.,  must  conclude  the  list. 
The  colour  of  this  bold  form  is  white  touched  with  green  and  striped  and 
margined  bright  rose.  For  the  dozens  of  others  that  are  worth  an 
examination  readers  are  recommended  to  go  to  the  Royal  Exotic  Nursery 
at  the  earliest  possible  moment. — Annual  Visitor. 
RHODODENDRON  COLLETTIANUM. 
This  is  the  name  of  the  shrub  represented  in  the  accompanying  wood- 
cut  ffig.  65)  and  which  was  distributed  under  the  name  of  R.  afghanicum, 
the  latter,  however,  being  a  new  and  distinct  species  from  the  same  region. 
It  is  said  to  be  poisonous,  and  differs  from  the  subject  of  our  note  by  its 
campanulated  corolla  and  long  exserted  bent  style.  In  R.  Collettianum 
the  style  is  very  short,  the  flowers  in  medium-sized  bunches  of  eight  to 
twelve  or  more,  white  tinged  rose.  A  well-known  writer  says,  “  In  most 
of  its  characters  it  closely  approaches  R,  anthopogon,  from  which  it 
differs  in  its  large  stature,  large  straight  flowers,  and  in  the  tube  of  the 
corolla  being  hairy  all  down  the  inside.”  It  reaches  10,000  to  nearly 
13,000  feet  above  sea  level  at  Shdndtoi  to  the  ridges  of  Sikaram, 
commencing  at  near  the  limit  of  trees,  and  mixed  with  masses  of 
Junipers,  forming  large  thickets.  For  rockeries,  or  where  dwarf  shrubs 
are  required  in  the  border  this  will  be  found  very  useful. 
HERBACEOUS  CALCEOLARIAS. 
Herbaceous  Calceolarias  present  luxuriance  of  growth,  symmetry, 
and  wealth  of  colour  in  a  remarkable  degree  ;  the  bold  deep  green  foliage, 
the  large  clustering  heads  of  flowers,  rich  yet  soft,  and  extremely  varied 
in  colour,  render  them  worthy  of  the  high  rank  assigned  to  them  among 
our  floral  gems.  They  are  generally  treated  as  annuals,  and  the  certainty 
and  convenience  of  this  method  of  culture  cannot  be  disputed,  old  plants 
being  only  worth  keeping  when  huge  specimens  are  required  for  special 
purposes. 
May  and  June  are  the  best  months  for  sowing  the  seed,  but  when  it  is 
desirable  to  prolong  the  display  of  flowers  other  sowings  may  follow  in 
July  and  August,  in  which  case  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  consider¬ 
able  space  will  be  required  during  winter,  especially  if  it  is  intended  to 
grow  large  plants  such  as  may  be  produced  in  8  or  10-inch  pots ;  for  then, 
331 
as  the  plants  gain  size,  no  check  must  be  given  to  the  growth.  The  few 
but  most  important  demands  for  more  space  for  the  roots,  and  for  the 
play  of  light  and  air  around  and  among  the  leaves,  must  be  promptly 
attended  to.  When  this  condition  is  well  looked  to  the  plants  make  an 
ample  return  for  every  care,  by  rapidity  of  growth  and  the  rude  vigour 
with  which  they  flourish.  The  shifting  into  larger  pots  may  continue  till 
the  flower  stems  begin  to  grow,  and  even  after  that  period,  if  pinching  is 
practised,  as  is  frequently  the  case  when  the  aim  is  to  produce  plants  of 
an  extra  size. 
The  one  cultural  point  of  vital  importance  is  to  promote  the  quick  yet 
vigorous  growth  in  the  very  earliest  stages,  which  is  natural  to  this  plant. 
For  this  reason  I  prefer  for  the  seed-pan  a  compost  of  old,  rich,  decayed 
manure,  finely  sifted  and  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  sand,  keeping 
it  quite  an  inch  below  the  top  of  the  pan,  sowing  the  seed  on  it,  and  then 
pressing  down  gently  with  a  circular  piece  of  wood.  A  careful  damping 
with  water  out  of  a  fine  rose  is  then  given,  and  a  sheet  of  glass  placed  on 
the  pan,  which  is  taken  to  a  cool  house  or  pit  where  it  can  have  abundance 
of  light  without  being  fully  exposed  to  the  full  rays  of  the  sun.  So  treated 
the  seed  vegetates  quickly,  and  the  seedlings  spring  up  full  of  sturdy 
vigour,  are  first  potted  singly  in  similar  soil,  and  afterwards  in  a  rough 
rich  mixture  of  manure,  turfy  loam,  sand,  and  charcoal. 
No  sifting  and  very  little  chopping  are  required  in  preparing  this  com¬ 
post,  in  which  the  roots  spread  with  such  surprising  rapidity  that  the 
plantsman  has  to  be  on  the  alert  in  the  shifting  into  larger  pots  ;  for  the 
roots  must  not  be  suffered  to  fasten  on  the  sides  of  any  pot  but  that  in 
which  the  plant  is  to  mature  its  growth  and  produce  its  flowers.  To  the 
practised  hand  the  reason  for  this  is  obvious  enough,  but  it  may  be  well  to 
point  out  to  the  beginner  that  when  a  plant  becomes  root-bound  its  growth 
receives  a  check,  often  a  very  necessary  one  to  induce  free-flowering,  but 
which  is  fatal  for  the  time  to  additional  size  if  such  be  required.  Avoid 
the  use  of  peat  in  the  culture  of  these  plants.  I  do  not,  of  course,  mean  to 
infer  that  they  will  not  grow  in  peat,  but  a  rich  coarse  soil,  such  as  I  have 
described,  is  so  admirably  adapted  to  their  wants  as  to  be  altogether 
preferable.  The  use  of  peat  in  the  seed  pan  is  what  I  most  object  to, 
from  its  propensity  to  become  dry,  and  the  indifferent  nourishment  it  gives 
to  the  rootlets  of  the  seedlings. 
A  glance  at  healthy  Calceolarias  in  any  stage  of  growth  is  sufficient  to 
convince  one  that  they  are  gross  feeders.  Let  this  but  be  fully  recognised, 
and  be  acted  upon  by  affording  abundance  of  rich  soil  and  stimulants, 
keeping  the  plants  clean — free  from  aphides  and  thrips— and  with  plenty 
of  air  and  light  on  all  sides,  a  full  measure  of  success  will  be  the  result. 
The  assistance  of  stimulants,  by  which  I  mean  liquid  manure,  is  not 
required  till  the  flower  stems  appear,  when  their  frequent  use  is  of  the 
greatest  value  and  importance,  imparting  continued  health  to  the  growth, 
and  to  the  flowers  such  size,  form,  and  colour  as  wouD  be  quite  wanting 
were  liquid  manure  withheld  ;  it  being  evident  that  as  the  soil  of  any 
gross-feeding  pot  plant  is  permeated  with  roots,  so  surely  does  it 
gradually  become  exhausted.  Proof  of  this  is  afforded  by  the  decaying 
or  unhealthy  foliage,  and  the  short  duration  of  the  puny  growth  of 
flowers. — L. 
