32 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  14,  1898. 
HARDY  BULBS— A  REVIEW. 
( Concluded  from  page  523,  last  vol.) 
Before  dealing  with  Tulips  in  particular,  a  glance  at  a  few  other, 
and  perhaps  less  known,  bulbous  plants  may  be  profitable.  Although  the 
genus  Colchicum  is  more  noticeable  in  the  autumn,  we  have  two  good 
6pecies  which  flower  in  spring — namel}-,  C.  montanum  and  C.  lnteum. 
The  former  is  pale  purple,  and  the  latter,  as  its  name  implies,  yellow. 
The  genus  Scilia  certainly  deserves  consideration.  The  native  species, 
S.  nutans,  which  covers  our  woodlands  with  masses  of  blue,  will  repay 
planting  as  a  groundwork  for  a  bed  of  shrubs,  or  in  masses  throughout  a 
wood.  S.  amoena  is  a  pretty  species,  having  small  bright  blue  flowers. 
The  flowers  of  S.  sibirica  are  a  little  larger,  and  deep  blue,  and  appear 
about  the  middle  of  February.  S.  amcena  flowers  in  March. 
Fritillarias  are,  perhaps,  not  so  common  as  they  should  be.  F.  im- 
perialis  makes  a  noble  figure  in  almost  any  position.  It  grows  about 
3  feet  high,  and  the  flowers  appear  near  the  top  of  the  leafy  stem.  A 
tuft  of  leaves  surmounts  the  whorl  of  flowers,  which  vary  in  colour  from 
yellow  to  crimson.  F.  meleagris,  the  common  Fritillary  or  Snake’s 
Head,  looks  well  growing  in  a  bed  amongst  dwarf  shrubs.  Its  curious 
chequered  flowers  and  graceful  habit  give  a  pleasing  impression. 
Leucoium  vernum,  the  Spring  Snowflake,  is  worthy  of  notice.  It 
grows  only  6  inches  high,  and  with  its  Snowdrop-like  flowers  forms  a 
pretty  object  in  the  rockery.  L.  mstivum  is  also  worth  growing.  It 
attains  a  height  of  about  lj  foot,  and  flowers  later  than  L.  vernum. 
Its  pure  white  nodding  flowers,  with  their  green-streaked  segments, 
render  it  an  attractive  plant  for  the  herbaceous  border  or  rockery. 
Uvularia  grandiflora  has  bell-shaped  flowers  of  a  pale  yellow  colour. 
The  plant  grows  about  a  foot  high,  and  flowers  in  April.  Trillium 
erectum  and  T.  grandiflorum  flower  early  in  May.  The  former  is  purple 
and  the  latter  white  at  first,  changing  to  pink  when  older. 
Tulips,  although  last  on  this  list,  are  first  for  decorative  qualities. 
They  now  claim  the  premier  place  amongst  plants  for  spring  bedding, 
hence  a  few  details  regarding  them  may  be  worth  giving.  One  advantage 
with  Tulips  is  that  the  numerous  varieties  enable  us  to  have  masses  of 
brilliant  colours  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  end  of  May.  Some  minor 
species  flower  before  and  a  few  after  that  period,  which,  therefore,  relates 
cnly  to  common  decorative  sorts. 
The  earlier  flowering  forms  probably  originated  in  Tulipa  suaveolens. 
•One  of  the  best  of  this  class  is  Keizers  Kroon,  a  large  bed  of  which  makes 
a  grand  spectacle.  It  is  deep  scarlet,  bordered  and  streaked  with  gold. 
Amongst  yellows,  Chrysolora  and  Canary  Bird  are  perhaps  the  best.  The 
latter  is  slightly  earlier  than  Chrysolora,  a  duller  yellow,  and  not  so 
compact  or  handsome.  Amongst  reds,  Artus  is  in  the  front  rank.  It  is  a 
dark  scarlet — large  and  beautiful.  Like  Keizers  Kroon,  it  lasts  well. 
This  year  it  was  at  its  best  on  the  3rd  of  May,  and  continued  to  make  a 
show  on  the  15th,  when  many  other  forms  had  dropped  their  petals.  Due 
Van  Thol  and  Joost  Van  Vondel  highly  deserve  their  reputation.  The 
former  is  better  adapted  for  forcing  than  for  bedding.  The  latter  is  a 
good  bedder  ;  it  has  splendid  flowers — large  crimson,  with  a  shade  of 
purple  throughout,  and  sometimes  finely  streaked  with  white. 
Proserpine  has  a  large  rosy  purple  flower  appearing  amongst  the 
earliest  plants,  and  was  past  this  year  while  most  of  the  others  were  at 
their  best.  So  was  Tulipa  Greigi.  About  the  25th  of  April  this  species 
made  a  dazzling  bed  with  its  bright  red  flame-coloured  flowers.  Cottage 
Maid  is  indeed  a  charming  variety,  having  pink  flowers  profusely  flaked 
with  white.  When  planted  thinly  in  a  bed  of  Arabis  alpina,  it  produces  a 
fine  light  effect.  Silver  Standard  is  also  a  very  attractive  variety.  Its 
flowers  are  bright  crimson,  flushed  with  pure  white. 
The  later  varieties  are  supposed  to  have  originated  with  T.  Gesneriana, 
which  species  is  very  variable  in  colour.  T.  fulgens,  a  famous  scarlet,  is  a 
form  of  this  species,  though  it  differs  much  in  general  appearance.  Nearly 
all  the  later  varieties  are  characterised  by  their  tall  stems,  ranging  from 
2  to  2-^  feet  in  height.  T.  Gesneriana  itself  is  usually  either  a  chocolate 
colour  with  yellow  streaks,  or  a  dark  purple  with  white  streaks.  Picotee 
is  perhaps  the  daintiest  of  all  in  this  class.  It  is  well  named,  for  it  is  pale 
cream  or  white,  with  a  narrow  band  of  crimson  round  the  margin,  just 
like  a  Picotee.  Golden  Eagle  is  a  rich  yellow,  with  a  reddish  tinge  on  the 
margin,  and  often  greenish  at  the  tip.  Billettiana  is  smaller  than  the 
foregoing,  but  is  similar  in  colour.  T.  retroflexa  is  one  of  the  best  yellows. 
It  also  is  appropriately  named,  for  the  large  golden  petals  are  distinctly 
reflexed,  and  the  margins  wavy  and  slightly  curled.  It  was  at  its  best 
between  the  12th  and  16th  of  May. 
T.  spathulata  has  fine  large  flowers  of  a  bright  red  colour,  with  stems 
sometimes  about  2§  feet  high.  T.  macrospeila  is  not  so  tall  as  spathulata, 
and  is  of  a  bright  crimson  colour.  Parisian  Yellow  is  a  good  late 
variety.  This  year  the  lowers  were  about  their  best  between  the  18th 
and  23rd  of  May.  Parisian  White  is  earlier  than  its  yellow  neighbour, 
and  is  only  about  1  foot  high.  Columbus  is  a  very  bright  variety.  The 
flowers  are  compact,  a  bright  clear  yellow,  and  feathered  with  scarlet. 
The  Parrot  Tulips  may  readily  remind  us  of  their  avian  namesakes. 
Their  large  feather-like  bright  coloured  petals  with  scrolls  and  blotches 
of  yellow,  green,  and  scarlet  make  a  very  showy  bed  or  clump. 
W e  may  now  be  thinking  of  lifting  our  bulbs  to  get  the  beds  ready 
for  their  summer  garments.  If  they  are  not  thoroughly  ripened,  and  the 
foliage  is  still  green,  they  should  be  transplanted  to  a  reserve  part  of  the 
garden.  If  no  other  place  be  available  they  would  do  well  laid  in  rows  in 
ashes  in  a  spare  part  of  the  yard,  where  the  foliage  would  have  plenty 
light  and  air  to  provide  the  bulbs  with  substance  for  the  following  season. 
Any  offsets  of  desirable  varieties  should  be  secured  and  planted  in  beds 
till  they  are  large  enough  to  flower,  which  will  take  about  two  years. 
Tulips  may  flower  well  (the  same  bulbs)  for  three  years  in  succession. 
In  conclusion,  I  would  urge  that  the  simpler  and  more  natural  arrange¬ 
ment  should  be  practised.  A  large  mound  with  Daffodils  in  March,  and 
white  Narcissi  in  April,  and  a  scarlet  Tulip  breaking  the  monotony 
here  and  there,  is  one  of  the  best  effects  we  may  see.  After  all  the 
most  natural  arrangement  is  the  most  beautiful ;  and  although  the 
gorgeous  style  may  always  remain  to  make  a  show  and  attract  the 
uneducated  eye,  we  can  have  corners  and  odd  places  to  clothe  in  garments, 
which  are  lovely  though  simple,  attractive  though  humble,  and  charming 
because  natural.  -Excelsior. 
SLUGS  AND  THEIR  DESTRUCTION. 
Mr.  Abbey  deserves  the  thanks  of  the  many  Journal  readers  for  his 
lengthy  reference  to  these  destructive  pests,  and  his  experience  with  gas 
lime  as  a  slugicide.  Mr.  Abbey’s  contributions  are  always  accepted  as 
being  eminently  practical,  and  coming  from  one  so  closely  observant  of  the 
ills  and  evils  connected  with  gardening,  as  well  as  the  pleasures  to  be 
derived  therefrom,  they  cannot  be  disputed.  Following  up  the  writings 
of  your  esteemed  correspondent,  one  can  scarcely  realise  that  he  is  in 
earnest  in  his  judgment  when,  in  his  second  paragraph  (page  484),  he 
says  :  “  The  plethora  of  slugs,  in  both  field  and  garden,  I  attribute  mainly 
to  slovenly  habits  in  so-called  cultivation  at  the  present  time.”  He,  how¬ 
ever,  finds  a  very  practical  excuse  for  the  erring  ones,  myself  among  the 
number,  in  the  next  sentence,  where  he  says,  “  Gardeners,  I  know,  in 
many  cases,  cannot  help  it,  as  they  have  not  half  the  requisite  assistance.5' 
This  is  a  solution  to  many  difficulties  in  gardening  matters  at  the 
present  day,  for  with  a  large-sized  garden,  and  a  very  restricted  staff  of 
labour,  it  is  impossible  that  the  necessary  work  can  be  done  always  in  the 
right  manner  or  at  the  right  time.  For  the  farming  element  among  the 
Journal  readers  I  will  offer  no  defence,  but  leave  those  who  have  that 
management,  in  conjunction  with  the  garden,  to  reply  for  themselves,  if 
such  is  necessary.  It  is  contrary  to  human  nature  to  accept  rebuke,  even 
when  circumstances  deem  it  needful,  without  a  feeling,  more  or  less  pro¬ 
nounced,  that  it  is  undeserved,  as  applied  to  most  of  us  individually.  There 
is,  more  often  than  not,  a  feeling  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  most  con¬ 
scientious  gardeners,  whether  head  or  subordinate,  that  they  do  their  best, 
and  Mr.  Abbey,  I  am  sure,  would  willingly  hesitate  before  giving  an 
unfavourable  judgment  bearing  on  the  work  of  others. 
Mr.  Abbey  says  the  root  of  the  evil  is  easily  traceable  to  the  neglected 
corners  in  gardens.  I  hope  he  will  pardon  me  in  differing  from  him  in 
that  statement  ;  at  any  rate,  it  is  not  true  in  very  many  cases.  Close  and 
continuous  cropping  is  more  favourable  to  the  increase  of  slugs  than  the 
neglected  corners,  if  there  are  any,  for  in  this  continuous  routine  of  sowing 
and  planting  of  crops  the  slug  is  kept  well  fed.  Mr.  Abbey  strengthens 
my  view  when  he  says  : — “The  old-fashioned  plan  of  ‘knocking  the  land 
about’  had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  freedom  from  slugs.”  This 
quotation  is  one  for  the  farmer,  and  has  reference  to  fallows,  but  its 
application  to  the  garden  would  have  the  same  effect. 
Presumably  Mr.  Abbey  does  not  believe  in  mild  winters  favouring  the 
increase  of  slugs,  because  of  the  fact  that  a  slug  can  only  lay  a  certain 
number  of  eggs.  If  the  winter  is  mild,  and  favours  early  hatching,  it 
must  tend  towards  a  very  large  increase  as  future  reproductions  occur,  the 
same  as  in  other  animal  organisms.  If  this  is  not  true,  why  is  it  in  one 
spring  there  are  such  numbers  and  in  others  so  few  /  I  cannot  remember 
a  season  when  the  outcry  was  so  universal  against  the  ravages  of  slugs  as 
this  spring.  Everyone  who  has  a  garden,  no  matter  how  clean  and  well 
tilled,  and  has  sown  seeds  or  put  in  plants,  complain  that  they  are 
victimised  byT  the  slug. 
This  is  largely  attributable  to  the  frequent  rains  that  have  been  expe¬ 
rienced  this  year,  and  which  destroy  the  causticity  of  lime  and  soot, 
which,  whether  fresh  or  stale,  cannot  long  remain  objectionable  to  slugs 
when  washed  into  the  soil  by  rain.  Dustings  of  these  in  mixture  or 
separate  put  on  every  day  had  no  effect  in  checking  their  ravages  among 
tender  seedlings  while  storms  were  so  frequent. 
I  hope  to  put  gas  lime  to  the  test  another  winter  if  it  is  obtainable 
from  the  works  and  permitted  by  my  employer.  Fresh  lime  from  the 
kiln  put  on  ground  during  the  past  winter  did  not  do  any  appreciable 
good  as  a  slugicide,  although  a  heavy  dressing  was  given  ;  but  the  ground 
and  crops  would  benefit  largely  by  its  presence.  The  object  of  the  lime¬ 
dressing  was  twofold — as  a  slug  destroyer  and  a  purifier  of  the  soil. 
One  is  assured,  the  other  not. 
Clear  lime  water  is  a  simple  expedient,  and  the  Editor  does  well  in 
supplementing  Mr.  Abbey’s  advice,  which  will,  I  have  no  doubt,  be  acted 
upon  in  many  a  garden  where  the  plethora  of  slugs  are  in  evidence. 
It  would  be  interesting,  however,  to  learn  why  lime  water  should  be  so 
effectual  in  their  destruction  and  dry  lime  should  be  so  variable.  I  take 
it  that  in  watering  with  the  clear  diluted  water  all  the  plot  affected  need 
be  soaked,  and  not  merely  the  lines  of  seedlings.  With  about  5  acres  of 
land  all  infested  the  undertaking  would  not  be  a  slight  one  ;  but  isolated 
parts  could  be  dealt  with  where  more  pressing  or  the  crop  sown  important. 
— W.  S.,  Wilts. 
[Does  it  take  longer  to  dust  a  certain  area  effectively  than  to  water  it 
through  a  large-rosed  can  ?  Mr.  Abbey  has  found  another  slugicide 
terribly  fatal,  as  he  tells  us  on  page  522,  last  vol ,  and  a  fertiliser  at  the 
same  time.] 
Airing  Vineries. — The  advantage  of  leaving  an  inch  aperture 
at  the  top  ventilators  of  vineries,  where  the  Grapes  are  swelling  freely  and 
commencing  to  oolour,  is  apparent  in  the  sweeter  and  more  even  condition 
of  the  atmosphere.  Early  in  the  mornings  of  hot  days,  when  the  sun 
strikes  the  house,  the  atmosphere  is  subject  to  become  overheated. — S. 
