July  80, 1888. 
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JOlTRI^AL  OF*  HOnfrCULTUllE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
recognised,  especially  when  well  thinned  so  that  their  forms  and 
habits  are  properly  seen.  The  Scarlet  Flax  (Linutn  grandiflorum), 
the  blae  Nemophila,  the  Gilias,  Alonsoas,  Schizanthus,  Sweet 
Saltans,  Nemesias,  Limnanthes,  and  a  host  of  others  occur  to  one 
as  charming  aids  to  the  decoration  of  the  flower  garden.  There  is 
a  field  of  usefulness  open  to  the  one  who  will  give  us  a  book  on 
annuals  which  will  deal  worthily  with  their  beauty,  their  useful¬ 
ness,  and  their  requirements, 
There  are  few  growers  of  hardy  flowers  who  do  not  cultivate  at 
least  a  few  of  the  many  delightful  Bellworts  now  so  much  in 
request.  There  is  so  much  variety  among  these  Campanulas  that 
a  collection  of  all  the  decorative  species  and  varieties  would  be  an 
interesting  feature  of  the  garden  in  which  they  grew,  would  also 
occupy  to  advantage  some  considerable  space,  and  would  give  a. 
more  prolonged  season  of  bloom  than  most  people  would  think 
possible.  There  are  such  tiny  flowers  as  C.  Zoysi,  or  the  ex¬ 
quisite  little  annual  C.  attica,  with  species  intermediate  in  size 
until  the  great  towering  spikes  of  C.  latifolia  almost  head  the 
list,  and  give  us  pleasure  with  their  spires  of  blue  or  white 
flowers.  There  is  choice  enough  and  to  spare  in  the  long  lists 
the  nurserymen  give  ns  to  choose  from. 
From  time  to  time  I  have  spoken  of  some  of  these,  and 
among  those  left  as  yet  unnoticed  here  there  are  few  finer  than 
Campanula  lactiflora,  the  Milk-flowered  Bellflower.  It  is  one  of 
the  taller  growing  species,  and  is  suited  for  the  border  where  it 
can  be  associated  with  some  of  the  more  robust-growing  plants,  or 
even  for  planting  among  shrubs  or  in  the  choicer  parts  of  the  wild 
garden.  It  is  said  to  grow  from  2  to  4  feet  high,  but  the  latter 
height  is  sometimes  even  exceeded,  and  in  the  garden  of  Mrs. 
Maxwell-Withum  of  Kirkconnell,  Dumfries,  where  I  saw  it 
recently,  the  latter  height  seemed  to  be  considerably  exceeded. 
Very  effective  and  pretty  is  it  with  its  ovate-lanceolate  leave*, 
and  its  loose,  leafy  panicles  of  what  are  called  milk-white 
flowers,  but  which  have  a  tinge  of  blue  which  lessens  the 
resemblance  to  what  we  are  taught  to  consider  the  true  milky 
white.  This  Milk-white  Bellflower  is  said  to  come  from  the 
Caucasus,  Bieberstein  being  the  authority  for  the  name.  C.  celti- 
difolia  is  said  to  be  synonymous,  but  the  plants  generally  grown  in 
gardens  under  the  names  of  lactiflora  and  celtidifolia  are  distinct  in 
many  ways,  although,  according  to  botanists,  they  should  be  the 
same.  C.  lactiflora  requires  no  special  treatment  for  its  successful 
cultivation. 
There  are  several  hybrid  Campanulas  grown  in  gardens,  among 
which  may  be  cited  as  examples  the  well-known  C.  Hendersoni, 
C.  G.  F.  Wilson,  and  C,  haylodgensis.  In  the  garden  of  Mr. 
James  Davidson,  Summerville,  Dumfries,  I  recently  saw  a  very 
charming  little  hybrid,  which  evidently  had  for  one  of  its  parents 
the  pretty  little  C  Waldsteiniana,  and  possibly  for  the  other 
C.  G.  F.  Wilson.  C.  Waldsteiniana  seemed  to  be  the  seed-bearer, 
and  the  seedling  resembled  it  in  form  and  in  colour,  although  the 
latter  was  a  darker  blue  purple  than  in  the  parent.  The  flowers 
were  nearly  twice  the  size  of  C,  Waldsteiniana,  and  were  produced 
erect,  the  leaves  being  also  larger.  Another  evidence  in  favour  of 
its  hybrid  origin  was  its  yellowish  foliage,  an  almost  constant 
peculiarity  of  hybrid  Bellflowers.  I  hope  Mr.  Davidson  will  pro¬ 
pagate  this  variety,  which  is  well  worth  taking  care  of. 
It  is  a  little  singular  that  so  few  of  the  various  species  of  perennial 
Centaoreas  are  to  be  seen  in  collections  of  hardy  flowers,  C.  mon- 
tana  having  to  a  great  extent  monopolised  the  attention  of  lovers  of 
these  flowers.  There  are,  however,  a  good  many  of  these  Knap¬ 
weeds  which  could  with  advantage  be  introduced  into  the  garden, 
even  if  less  valuable  for  cuttinsr  than  the  Mountain  Knapweed. 
Among  these  C.  glastifolia,  the  Woad-leaved  Centaury,  deserves  a 
little  notice,  although  less  im nosing  than  C.  babylonica.  It  has 
been  introduced  more  than  160  years,  and  received  the  name  of 
glastifolia  from  the  resemblance  of  its  leave*  to  those  of  the 
common  Woad.  Isatis  tinctoria,  which  was  known  to  the  old  authors 
as  Glastum.  C.  glastifolia  grows  about  feet  high,  and  flowers 
in  July.  The  leaves  are  what  is  known  as  decurrent,  running 
down  the  stem  in  a  very  distinct  way.  The  veins  are  also  very 
conspicuous  on  the  upper  surface.  The  flowers  are  a  pale  yellow 
and  are  of  a  good  size,  but  smaller  than  those  of  C.  macrocephala. 
C.  glastifolia  is  a  native  of  Asia  Minor,  and  grows  readily  in  any 
soil.  It  is  increased  by  division  or  seeds. 
1  was  told  the  other  day  that  I  had  not  done  full  justice,  or 
rather  had  been  unjust,  to  the  beauty  of  Lychnis  Flos-cuculi 
plenissima  semperflorens,  in  a  note  upon  it  in  the  Journal  some  time 
ago.  The  remonstrance  came  from  one  who  had  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  flower  much  more  frequently  than  the  writer,  and  is 
consequently  better  acquainted  with  its  properties.  I  may  thus 
have  in  the  future  to  modify  my  remarks,  although  I  do  not  think 
the  flower  will  prove  worthy  of  the  glowing  eulogy  passed  upon  it 
by  its  introducers. 
Another  flower  similarly  highly  praised  was  one  sent  out  as 
Heliopsis  Pitcheriana,  which  I  had  also  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
lately.  A  most  acute  correspondent  of  mine,  whose  judgment 
regarding  flowers  is  worthy  of  the  greatest  deference,  in  writing  to 
me  of  this  plant  said  that  it  seemed  to  be  only  the  well-known 
H.  scabra.  A  careful  compariion  is  necessary  to  distinguish 
oetween  H.  scabra  and  H.  Pitcheriana,  and  one  is  disposed  to  think 
that  the  latter  is  only  a  seedling  form,  distinguished  by  its  slightly 
larger  flowers  and  the  deeper  orange  colour  of  its  ray  petals.  The 
centra  of  the  flower  seems  also  to  be  a  little  darker,  and  the  leaves 
a  little  smoother.  No  information  appears  to  be  given  about  the 
origin  of  the  plant,  and  upon  the  whole  I  am  disposed  to  consider 
it  only  a  superior  variety  of  H.  scabra,  which  should  only  have  bad 
a  varietal  and  not  a  specific  name  given  to  it. 
Early  flowering  Michaelmas  Daisies  are  hardly  so  acceptable  as 
the  later  ones,  and  when  one  sees  them  iu  July  one  feels  that  they 
are  flowering  at  an  untimely  season.  So  pretty,  however,  was  the 
little  white-flowered  Aster  ptarmicoides  about  the  middle  of  that 
month  that  its  premature  blooming  could  not  but  be  forgiven  as  one 
looked  upon  its  small  and  pretty  white  flowers  on  their  stems  about 
2  feet  high.  A  little  beauty  it  is,  growing  readily  in  good  soil,  and 
although  only  honoured  with  the  mark  of  XX  and  not  with  the 
crowning  honour  of  XXX,  worthy  of  general  cultivation  in  gardens 
where  the  perennial  Aster  receives  its  due  share  of  appreciation. 
— S,  Arnott. 
BY  THE  RIVER. 
Between  the  mansion  and  the  river  lays  the  formal  flower 
garden,  admired  by  many,  condemned  by  some  few,  perhaps,  to 
whom  the  very  name  of  bedding  out  is  distasteful ;  yet,  in  its 
suitability  to  the  position,  I  cannot  imagine  anything  among»t  our 
wealth  of  vegetation  and  fertility  of  invention  that  can  now  or 
prospectively  supplant  it.  Neat  and  trim  all  the  year  round,  bright 
the  greater  portion  of  it,  brilliant  at  intervals,  according  to  season 
or  to  weather.  Ah  !  but  is  it  natural  ?  No  ;  I  admit  it  is  not 
natural  in  the  sense  thi*  imaginary  question  is  put  ;  but  it  ia 
fitting — a  fitting  frame  to  our  stately  mansion.  As  well  mount 
some  grand  old  Rubens  or  Velasquez  in  an  Oxford  frame  as  to 
think  of  altering  those  fundamental  lines  of  harmony  which  alter 
not.  Even  our  river  has  had  to  bear  a  little  restraint,  and  its  ways 
are  made  straight  as  it  murmurs  by.  So  even  to  its  brim  are  the 
proprieties  of  trimness  observed,  for  it  is  too  near,  too  much  a  part 
of  this  part  for  aught  else.  A  very  fitting  boundary  it  is,  appear¬ 
ing  to  keep  this  example  of  law  and  order  from  running  into  the 
parts  beyond. 
Lower  down,  yet  close  at  hand,  our  river  has  other  stories  to 
tell,  murmuring  the  praises  of  the  planter  who  ha*  so  richly  adorned 
its  banks.  Standing  on  the  suspension  bridge,  the  last  link  with 
formality  and  free,  unfettered  Nature,  from  here  to  the  old  stone 
bridge,  some  half  mile  distant,  a  glorious  view  is  obtained.  Broken 
masse*  of  foliage  with  clumps  of  fiery  Tritomas  mirrored  in  the 
placid  backwater  ,df  a  tiny  bay,  giant  Grasses  which  later  on  will 
display  their  feathery  plumes  well  into  winter,  and  so  many  things 
happily  disposed  that  wo  are  lured  from  this  vantage  point  to  walk 
and  talk  amongst  them.  Charming  as  is  the  coup  d'ceil.oxxr  picture 
will  bear  close  inspection  ;  in  fact,  it  is  necessary,  for  fresh  revela¬ 
tions  await  at  every  turn. 
An  old  tree  standing  obliquely,  saved  from  falling  by  the  lore¬ 
shortening  of  its  leafless  limbs,  is  now  clothed  in  purple  and  fine 
foliage  with  Jackman’s  Clematis,  and  group#  of  the  graceful  Lady 
Fern  are  near  at  hand.  Here  the  route  is  interrupted  by  a  feeder 
rippling  down  a  tiny  glen,  spreading  itself  out  on  the  flatter  margin. 
Some  rockwork  confines  it  into  a  shallow  pool  in  which  the  Nile 
Lilies  (Calla  sethiopica)  are  very  much  at  home.  Thus  treated 
what  an  admirable  water  plant  it  is  !  the  white  spathes  are  as  pure 
as  under  pot  culture,  and  what  they  lose  in  size  they  gain  in  refine¬ 
ment  Some  few  yards  we  must  diverge  to  reach  the  stepping  stones, 
brushing  as  we  pass  a  clump  of  royal  Osmundas,  truly  regal  as  they 
revel  in  the  boggy  soil. 
Apouogeton,  the  Water  Hawthorn,  pushes  its  fragrant  heads 
above  water,  and  crossing  by  the  stepping  stones  some  dozen  of  the 
noble  O.strich-plume  Fern  (btruthiopteris)  enjoy  the  spongy  situa¬ 
tion.  Picking  our  way  through  a  delta  ef  delightful  objects  drier 
ground  is  reached,  and  more  imposing  things  await.  Round  the 
bend  some  beautiful  Bamboos  bend  to  the  breeze,  but  few  things 
are  more  striking  than  the  giant  leaves  of  a  huge  Gunnera 
manicata  perched  on  a  promontory  by  the  river.  It  is  difficult  to 
describe  this  perfect  picture,  where  all  is  so  cunningly  contrived 
that  the  planter’s  hand  is  so  little  in  evidence  to  the  uninitiated 
eye,  but  very  satisfying  is  the  scene  to  the  most  critical.  Here,  in 
this  stretch  between  the  bridges,  is  a  crowd  of  good  things,  yet  no 
crowding  is  apparent,  nor  ia  there  aught  savouring  of  the  dot 
system.  There  is  always,  I  think,  a  sense  of  freedom  by  the  river. 
