October  22,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
403 
to  prevent  the  leaves  blowing  about.  Admit  air  freely,  or  if  leaves  on 
sorinkle  the  Vines  occasionally  and  admit  air  moderately  for  a  time. 
The  lifting  must  not  be  done  until  the  main  leaves  give  Indications  of 
falling,  but  a  few  laterals  with  immature  foliage  will  assist  root 
formation. 
When  the  surface  soil  only  is  removed,  and  the  soil  picked  out  from 
amongst  the  roots,  operations  may  commence  earlier,  for  the  Vines  will 
have  some  roots  undisturbed,  and  those  lifted  and  supplied  with  fresh 
soil  will  push  rootlets  sooner  and  more  abundantly  through  the  foliage 
being  to  some  extent  active.  If  the  roots  are  inside  and  outside  one  part 
may  be  done  one  year  and  the  other  the  next  without  any  danger  of  loss 
of  crop  the  following  season. — Grower. 
NEWSTEAD  ABBEY. 
It  is  now  some  years  since  the  beautiful  Calanthe  Veitchi  was  raised 
and  sent  out  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  and  it  still  holds  its  own  amongst 
the  many  hybrids  that  have  since  been  introduced.  It  is  the  result  of  a 
cross  between  Limatodes  rosea  and  Calanthe  vestita,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  winter  flowering  Orchids.  Some  grand  examples  of 
cultivation  are  to  be  seen  in  the  houses  of  Newstead  Abbey,  where  there 
are  many  dozens,  grown  chiefly  in  6-inch  pots,  with  two  and  three  fine 
strong  pseudo-bulbs  fully  12  inches  long,  throwing  strong  flower  spikes 
which  shortly  will  form  a  grand  and  imposing  sight.  As  it  is  a  deciduous 
Orchid  it  requires  something  for  groundwork.  This  is  done  by  the  plants 
being  arranged  amongst  some  splendidly  grown  Maidenhair  Ferns,  which 
are  most  suitable  for  this  purpose. 
These  fine  old  gardens  have  these  last  few  years  undergone  a 
complete  overhauling  in  the  various  departments.  The  pleasure  grounds 
have  been  greatly  improved,  also  the  flower  garden,  and  one  of  the 
finest  Carnation  gardens  1  have  ever  seen  is  here,  containing  many 
hundreds  of  all  the  best  known  varieties,  and  in  the  season  is  a  sight 
that  cannot  be  forgotten.  The  various  styles  of  bedding  are  likewise 
well  done.  The  fruit  houses  have  been  refurnished,  and  the  Vines  and 
Peaches  have  carried  fine  crops  of  fruit,  examples  of  which  have  been 
seen  in  the  foremost  ranks  of  some  of  the  provincial  shows.  The  plant 
houses  contain  useful,  well-grown  specimens  for  decorative  work.  Crotons 
are  splendidly  coloured.  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison  Carnations  are 
pictures  of  health,  many  of  the  plants  being  2  feet  through,  well  fur¬ 
nished,  free  from  spot ;  will  render  a  useful  and  good  account  of  them¬ 
selves  shortly. 
Winter-flowering  plants  are  well  done,  especially  Chrysanthemums. 
These  are  now  beginning  to  make  an  imposing  display.  Hundreds  are 
grown  of  all  the  leading  kinds,  both  for  decorative  purposes  and  specimen 
flowers.  A  house  of  Cyclamen,  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  and  other  useful 
winter-flowering  plants  are  throwing  up  their  flower  spikes,  and  will 
come  in  most  useful  at  the  time  when  flowers  are  welcome.  The  various 
frames  contain  a  grand  collection  of  Violets,  which  are  always  accept¬ 
able,  The  kitchen  garden  is  large  and  well  stocked  with  vegetables,  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  mansion,  the  whole  being  in  perfect  order. 
Neatness  and  cleanliness  seem  the  motto  of  the  day,  the  credit  of  which 
is  due  to  Mr.  A.  McCullock,  who  has  carried  out  the  improvements  so 
apparent  since  he  has  been  in  charge. — Exjsticus. 
“  THE  BLACK  DAHLIA.” 
Like  some  other  popular  names  the  above  has  the  merit  of  simplicity, 
and  but  for  the  facts  that  the  p^ant  to  which  it  is  applied  is  not  a 
Dahlia,  and  the  flowers  are  not  black,  it  would  be  as  suitable  a  desig¬ 
nation  as  any  other.  It  is  true  that  the  title  botanists  have  honoured 
the  plant  with  has  not  the  first-mentioned  merit,  and  doubtless  there 
are  some  to  whom  Cosmos  diversifolius  atro-sanguineus  would  appear 
almost  as  formidable  as  certain  Mexican  or  Aztec  names  which  so  freely 
abound  in  unpronounceable  combinations  of  consonants.  Perbaps, 
therefore,  as  a  kind  of  compromise  between  the  correct  and  incorrect, 
the  few  syllables  and  the  many,  “  The  Black  Cosmos  ”  might  be  suggested 
as  a  desirable  equivalent  or  substitute  for  Black  Dahlia,  a  bloom  of 
which  is  depicted  in  the  woodcut  (fig.  73),  taken  from  a  specimen  sent 
by  the  Rev.  F.  A.  Leslie  Melville,  Welbourn,  Lincoln. 
Before,  however,  this  can  be  considered  as  settled  satisfactorily,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  explain  how  the  title  Dahlia  was  first  applied  to 
this  plant,  and  why  it  is  incorrect.  A  well-known  gardener  has  quaintly 
remarked  that  “  Aliases  in  the  plant  world  are  generally  indications  of 
merit,  and  convey  altogether  a  different  impression  to  aliases  borne  by 
men  and  women and  if  this  be  true  our  little  Cosmos  has  an  addi¬ 
tional  recommendation  in  the  fact  that  it  has  also  other  names  besides 
those  given  above,  such  as  Bidens  atro-sanguinea,  and  Dahlia  Zimapani, 
under  which  it  is  seen  in  several  English  gardens  and  nurseries.  In 
reference  to  the  latter  Mr.  W.  Thompson  of  Ipswich  writes  : — "  Dahlia 
Zimapani  was  introduced  by  the  collector  Benedict  Roezl,  who  gave  the 
plant  that  name.  I  believe  I  sent  it  to  the  late  Sir  William  Hooker  for 
figuring  in  the  ‘Botanical  Magazine’  (tab.  6227,  January  Ist,  1801), 
but  to  the  best  of  my  recollection  the  seed  came  into  my  hands  from  one 
of  the  continental  seedsmen  about  the  year  1860,  It  is  certainly  close 
enough  in  external  appearance  to  the  Dahlias  to  excuse  Roezl  and  others 
for  having  associated  it  with  them  ;  but  I  suppose  the  authority  of  such 
a  botanist  as  Sir  W.  Hooker  is  not  to  be  gainsaid.” 
Such,  in  brief,  is  the  origin  of  the  name,  and  the  excuse  urged  above 
— i.e.,  the  general  external  resemblance  to  Dahlias,  is  quite  sufficient  ; 
for  taking  the  D.  glabrata,  D.  Merki,  and  D.  gracilis  type  there  is  little 
to  distinguish  them  on  casual  observation  from  the  Cosmos.  They  are 
dwarf,  with  pinnately  divided  foliage,  slender,  tuberous,  fascicled  or- 
bunched  roots,  and  their  flowers  are  borne  on  long  slender  peduncles,  in 
all  of  which  characters  the  Cosmos  closely  resembles  them.  The  chief 
difference  is  in  the  involucre  (the  calyx-like  green  bracts  surrounding 
the  ray  florets),  which  in  the  Dahlia  consists  of  two  series,  the  outer 
usually  consisting  of  five  bracts,  strongly  reflexed,  dark  green,  and  of 
thicker  texture  than  the  inner  series,  which  closely  surround  the  ray 
florets,  and  consist  of  about  eight  thinner  and  lighter  green  bracts.  The 
same  portion  of  the  flower  in  the  Cosmos  is  also  in  two  series — five  bracts 
in  the  outer  not  reflexed,  and  eight  in  the  inner— but  of  similar  texture, 
both  closely  surrounding  the  ray  florets,  the  inner  surface  being  slightly 
coloured  like  the  florets.  There  are  some  other  differences  in  the  floret® 
themselves,  but  they  need  not  be  repeated  here.  The  foliage  is  of 
FIG.  73.— “THE  BLACK  DAHLIA.” 
thicker  texture,  and  much  less  succulent  than  that  of  Dahlias.  It, 
moreover,  has  a  totally  distinct  taste,  and  though  this  cannot  be  con¬ 
sidered  as  possessing  much  weight  as  a  botanical  character,  it  is  impor'^ant 
in  another  respect — namely,  it  is  obnoxious  to  slugs,  and  Mr.  H.  Cannell 
states  that  he  has  never  found  one  leaf  injured  by  those  pests,  conclusive 
evidence,  in  his  opinion,  that  it  is  not  a  Dahlia, 
Having  thus  disposed  of  the  nomenclature,  the  value  of  the  plant 
as  an  occupant  of  our  gardens  may  be  briefly  referred  to.  It  cannot 
claim  a  high  place  for  brilliancy  of  colouring,  as  its  rich  velvety  maroon 
flowers  are  only  seen  to  the  best  advantage  when  in  contrast  with  the 
lighter  or  brighter  flowers  of  its  congeners,  the  single  Dahlias,  or  similkr 
plants.  There  is  a  peculiar  richness  of  tint,  however,  that  is  very 
pleasing,  and  when  associated  with  other  flowers,  as  hinted,  it  has  a 
striking  effect.  The  long  peduncles,  or  flower  stems,  also  admirably 
fit  it  for  cutting,  and  the  blooms  continue  fresh  for  several  days  in 
water.  It  succeeds  well  under  similar  treatment  to  the  Dahlias,  lifting 
the  tubers  in  autumu  and  storing  them  in  a  dry  cool  place  safe  from 
frost  ;  or  if  the  roots  are  allowed  to  remain  in  the  ground  during  winter, 
which,  however,  is  scarcely  a  safe  course,  they  must  be  amply  protected 
with  a  covering  of  ashes,  litter,  or  similar  material.  It  may  also  be 
raised  from  seed. 
