January  9,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
37 
previous,  a  sudden  dive  into  a  corner  and  a  hasty  plunge  into  a  tub  had 
corrected  some  plant  in  a  basket  just  a  “  leetle  ”  dry.  Here  I  must,  for 
a  moment,  return  to  the  Fern  house  to  speak  of  a  marvellous  adornment 
on  the  end  wall  of  Begonias  of  the  Rex  tribe,  perfect  leaves  luxuriantly 
clothing  the  entire  gable  end.  Davallia  parvula  and  Rhipidopteris 
peltata,  dwarfs  of  the  Fern  world,  flourish  under  bell-glasses.  These  are 
specimens  in  their  pigmy  way. 
Seed  pods  are  hanging  on  the  Lapageria  rosea  in  the  Heath  house. 
These  have  been  figured  and  described  by  Mr.  Burbidge  in  the  “Field.” 
Did  I  ever  see  any  before  ?  I  do  not  recollect  doing  so,  but  once 
flowered  a  batch  of  seedlings  under  my  charge,  and  they  varied  con¬ 
siderably  in  character  from  the  type.  Back  again  in  the  cool  Orchid 
house  I  am  sniffing  in  the  delicate  perfume  of  Oncidium  tigrinum,  when 
a  peremptory  message  from  the  “  missus  ”  is  accompanied  with  the 
inquiry,  “  Do  you  know  what  time  it  is  ?”  Know  !  No,  not  we  ;  but 
I  know  it  is  considerably  later,  and  that  we  are  considerably  refreshed 
when  we  again  set  forth  to  do  the  grounds. 
Near  the  kept  grounds,  by  the  “river’s  brim,”  due  advantage  has 
been  taken  in  the  disposal  of  many  things  suitable  to  the  position  ; 
such  things  as  strengthen  the  hand  of  Nature,  which  has  here  done  so 
much.  Clumps  of  Bamboos  are  effective,  but  most  of  the  noble  foliage 
plants  have  sunk  to  rest  under  the  protection  of  their  withered  leaves. 
Respecting  a  fine  plant  of  Rosa  polyantha  (or  microcarpa)  on  a  wall,  I 
am  indebted  to  Mr.  Bedford  for  further  information.  He  says,  “  The 
plant  in  question  is  on  its  own  roots,  trained  up  a  10-feet  wall,  made 
secure  at  the  top,  and  then  allowed  to  grow  and  weep  over  at  its  own 
sweet  will.  The  one  year’s  growths  in  flower  are  from  8  to  12  feet 
long.”  But  the  damp  rises  from  the  river,  and  the  night  falls  fast. 
It  is,  indeed,  far  advanced  ere  I  am  homeward  bound  laden  with 
pleasant  memories  of  a  late  autumn  day  spent  where  there  was 
“  nothing  to  see  ”  by — One  Who  Saw. 
JAMESIA  AMERICANA. 
Although  perfectly  hardy  out  of  doors,  and  amongst  the  earliest 
of  the  North  American  plants,  Jamesia  americana  (fig.  6)  is  admirably 
adapted  for  forcing.  It  may  be  lifted  and  potted  in  the  autumn  much  in 
the  way  recommended  for  Rhododendrons  and  similar  plants,  or  kept 
in  pots  and  transferred  to  the  greenhouse  early  in  January.  It  will 
flower  early  in  March,  and  extend  over  April,  in  mild  seasons  sooner. 
As  it  Dever  fails  to  bloom,  and  seems  quite  indifferent  to  either  wet  or 
dry  seasons,  it  is  a  valuable  acquisition,  and  should  be  extensively 
grown. 
The  plant  grows  naturally  of  a  rather  straggling  habit,  but  this  may 
easily  be  remedied  by  pruning.  The  shoots  are  stout  and  woody,  and 
are  much-branched.  The  flowers  are  in  large  corymbose  heads,  and 
are  borne  laterally,  also  opposite,  on  every  joint,  and  smaller  than  the 
lateral  ones.  They  are  pure  white  and  slightly  fragrant,  lasting  a  con¬ 
siderable  time  in  a  cut  state.  The  leaves  are  borne  in  opposite  pairs  on 
the  young  shoots,  stalked,  oval-shaped,  and  evenly  and  sharply  serrated. 
They  are  of  a  fine  light  green  colour,  and  covered  with  a  fine  silky 
down,  which  makes  them  quite  silvery  underneath.  As  it  rarely  if  ever 
ripens  seed  in  this  country,  the  best  way  to  increase  it  is  from  cuttings, 
which  should  be  placed  in  cool  frames  in  a  shady  position,  and  watered 
very  sparingly  until  rooted. 
As  a  low-growing  shrub  it  is  unequalled  in  early  summer,  its  pure 
white  flowers  having  a  peculiar  fascination  where  the  run  on  white  cut 
flowers  is  large  at  that  season.  Equally  useful  also  as  a  tall  shrub  for 
the  background,  it  is  exceedingly  floriferous  in  either  position.  The 
flowering  season  in  the  open  air  extends  over  May  and  June,  and  the 
flowers  are  produced  in  profusion. 
ANTHURIUM  SCHERZERIANUM. 
ANYONE  having  seen  a  houseful  of  well-grown  plants  of  A.  Sher- 
zerianum,  during  their  season  of  flowering,  with  their  bright  and  showy 
scarlet  spathes  standing  out  boldly  in  contrast  with  their  dark  green 
foliage,  must  have  admired  them.  It  is  one  of  those  plants  we 
cannot  afford  to  be  without,  as  the  lasting  properties  of  its  spathes 
are  such  as  to  make  it  invaluable  as  a  show  or  decorative  plant  for  at 
least  four  months  of  the  year.  Those  who  remember  the  first  plants 
of  this  Aroid  sent  out  from  the  nurseries  can  see  the  marked  difference 
both  in  size  of  spathe  and  foliage,  being  both  broader  and  longer. 
During  the  past  few  years  many  forms  have  been  obtained  by  hybridising, 
some  of  which  are  beautiful,  yet  the  scarlet-spathed  type  still  holds  its 
own,  and  will  continue  to  do  so.  The  plants  are  not  difficult  to  grow, 
but  will  show  themselves  to  best  advantage  where  their  requirements  are 
understood,  and  will  amply  repay  any  extra  attention  that  may  be 
bestowed  on  them.  Many  of  the  small-spathed  varieties  seen  in  private 
establishments  are  worthless  compared  with  the  finer  varieties,  and  the 
former  might  in  many  instances  produce  larger  spathes  and  foliage  by  a 
little  more  liberal  treatment.  I  have  grown  a  large  number  of  plants 
for  years,  and  have  never  failed  in  having  a  fine  show  during  the 
summer. 
The  best  material  in  which  to  grow  them  is  good  sound  fibrous  peat 
and  sphagnum,  rough  charcoal,  with  a  good  sprinkling  of  dried  cow 
manure,  and  a  dash  of  sharp  sand  to  keep  the  compost  open.  This  must  be 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  keep  sweet  for  at  least  twelve  months.  The  plants 
soon  lose  their  vigour  if  the  material  becomes  at  all  “  pasty  ”  and  retains 
moisture  to  an  excessive  degree.  I  prefer  potting  in  August  or  the 
beginning  of  September,  when  most  of  the  spathes  are  dying.  Some 
of  the  plants  require  the  whole  of  the  potting  material  renewed.  The 
plant  is  very  accommodating  in  this  respect,  and  always  grateful  for 
having  its  roots  well  washed  and  every  particle  of  old  soil  taken  from  it. 
Of  course  this  must  be  done  with  care,  so  as  to  break  as  few  roots  as 
possible. 
Clean  pots  half  filled  with  crocks  Bhould  be  taken,  a  little  of  the 
rougher  material  placed  on  them,  the  plant  placed  a  few  inches  lower  in 
the  pots  than  before,  so  as  to  encourage  the  emission  of  roots  from  the 
stems,  and  also  to  prevent  it  having  a  drawn  appearance.  The  compost 
must  be  worked  carefully  amongst  the  roots,  and  made  moderately  firm. 
When  finished  the  plant  will  be  slightly  above  the  rim  of  the  pot,  and 
the  whole  surface  may  be  covered  with  green  moss,  such  as  is  found 
growing  under  trees  or  on  ledges  of  rock.  It  is  surprising  how  soon  the 
moss  will  be  filled  with  roots,  they  seem  to  have  a  great  liking  for  it,  and 
it  also  stands  the  application  of  liquid  manure  better  than  sphagnum, 
always  looking  neat  and  green.  A  good  watering  so  as  to  moisten  the 
FIG  G.— JAMESIA  AMERICANA. 
whole,  after  potting,  is  all  that  is  needed  for  a  few  days.  Some  of  the 
plants  will  be  found  such  a  mass  of  good  and  healthy  roots  that 
it  would  be  impossible  to  take  any  of  the  old  soil  from  them  without 
doing  more  harm  than  good  ;  these  are  simply  shifted  into  larger 
pots,  allowing  them  to  be  a  few  inches  lower,  and  opening  out  the 
tufts  or  stems  as  much  as  possible  by  placing  the  rougher  material 
between  them  to  give  more  room  and  encourage  other  stems  growing 
from  them.  It  will  also  give  the  foliage  more  room  and  the  plants  a 
larger  appearance.  They  are  great  lovers  of  water,  and  in  fact  should 
never  be  allowed  to  become  dry  at  any  time.  The  surface  moss  may 
be  kept  moist  by  syringing  even  during  the  winter,  when  less  water  is 
required. 
During  the  spring  and  summer  they  delight  in  a  moist  atmosphere, 
and  syringing  twice  a  day  with  tepid  water  will  prove  beneficial  and 
keep  the  foliage  clean.  When  in  full  growth  they  need  watering  liber¬ 
ally  ;  if  the  pots  are  well  drained,  and  the  compost  such  as  to  allow  the 
water  to  paBS  quickly  through,  there  need  be  no  fear  of  the  result.  They 
are  not  too  fastidious  as  to  the  food  they  receive  in  a  liquid  form,  but 
that  made  from  cow  manure  is  preferable  to  any  other,  and  may  be 
given  continually  in  a  weak  state  rather  than  stronger  doses  at  greater 
intervals.  Soot  water  may  be  given  occasionally  with  good  results. 
The  insects  troublesome  to  this  plant  are  not  numerous.  Green  fly  is 
the  greatest  pest,  and  is  found  at  times  in  abundance  on  the  under  side 
of  the  young  foliage,  where,  if  allowed  to  establish  itself,  will  soon  suck 
the  juices  from  the  tender  leaf  and  cripple  its  growth.  To  have  the 
foliage  clean,  well  grown,  and  healthy  lends  a  great  charm  to  the  spathe 
by  contrast,  so  that  the  fly  should  be  disposed  of  by  an  occasional 
smoking,  or  the  foliage  carefully  sponged  so  as  not  to  tear  or  break  the 
young  leaf.  Sometimes  scale  appears  on  the  older  leaves ;  this  may 
