610  JOURNAL  OF  tWRTtGtWltfRE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
BRIEF  NOTES  ON  ALPINE  FLOWERS. 
Androsaces. 
The  silky  or  woolly  leaved  Rock  Jastnioes  are  exceedingly  liable  to 
damp  off  in  winter  unless  they  have  some  protection  from  winter  rains 
and  sleet.  This  is  best  afforded  by  fixing  a  few  inches  above  them  a 
sheet  of  glass  or  a  slate,  taking  care,  however,  that  both  light  and  air 
have  free  access.  They  can  withstand  more  intense  cold  than  is  ever 
experienced  in  our  climate,  but  the  rain,  sleet,  and  damp  snow  to  which 
they  are  often  exposed  prove  too  much  for  them.  The  beautiful 
A.  sarmentosa  appears  to  suffer  more  than  A.  lanuginosa,  while 
A.  chamaejasme  also  suffers  to  some  extent.  They  like  a  dryish  gritty 
soil  in  my  garden,  and  I  have  been  interested  to  observe  how  well  some 
young  plants  have  thriven  in  the  pockets  of  a  rockery  which  is  com¬ 
posed  of  very  sandy  soil  with  stones  arranged  in  terrace  fashion. 
Primula  farinosa. 
This  is  another  rain-hater  in  winter,  at  least  it  is  so  at  this  low  level 
near  the  sea,  and  can  only  be  preserved  by  covering  it  in  a  similar  way 
to  the  Androsaces.  The  beautiful  farina,  which  is  bo  ornamental  to  the 
plant,  seems  to  retain  the  dampness  too  long,  and  this  causes  the  plant 
to  decay.  Although  a  native  plant  it  is  remarkably  difficult  to  grow 
in  ordinary  conditions,  and  the  puzzling  question  arises,  Why  is  this  so? 
It  does  pretty  well  in  an  artificial  bog,  but  the  frequent  and  heavy  rains 
of  winter  rum  it  completely.  It  is  probably  one  of  the  species  which 
are  in  nature  more  of  annual  than  of  perennial  habit.  It  is  not  very 
convenient  to  raise  it  annually  in  the  garden,  and  any  means  of  pre¬ 
serving  the  Bird’s  Lye  Primrose  iu  localities  where  it  dies  off  in  winter 
is  worthy  of  consideration.  Its  lilac- purple  flowers  with  their  yellow 
eye  are  very  pretty  aPhough  small. 
Primula  denticulata  Cashmeriana. 
This  also  often  suffers  in  a  similar  way,  due  again,  I  think,  to  the 
farina  or  mealy  substance.  The  typical  denticulata  does  not  receive  nearly 
so  much  injury  in  winter,  its  leaves  being  less  powdered  and  throwing 
off  the  moisture  better  in  consequence.  Thus  a  piece  of  glass  will  be 
found  a  very  useful  protection  to  the  Cashmere  Primrose,  and  will  also 
give  its  owner  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  flowers  a  little  earlier,  as  the 
flower  stems  which  are  formed  early  frequently  decay  at  the  base  in  wet 
seasons.  The  globular  head  of  flowers  is  also  protected  from  injury,  and 
the  early  blooms  open  with  greater  security. 
Primula  Sieboldi. 
A  brief  warning  to  take  care  not  to  destroy  the  dormant  crowns  of 
this  very  beautiful  Primrose  may  also  be  seasonable  and  acceptable. 
Unlike  many  other  species  the  crown  is  quite  below  the  surface  of  the 
soil,  and  careless  or  unversed  cultivators  may  easily  think  the  plant  has 
died.  In  the  rock  garden  there  is  not  the  same  danger  of  destroying  the 
crown  as  in  the  border,  where  the  spade  is  in  use.  In  the  borders 
P,  Sieboldi  should  either  have  a  tally  beside  it,  or,  in  the  case  of  unnamed 
varieties,  a  stout  pin,  an  inch  or  two  above  the  soil,  should  be  driven  clo8>4 
to  the  plant.  There  is,  at  times,  considerable  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
the  best  position  for  growing  these  beautiful  hardy  plants.  Nearly  all 
are  agreed  that  shelter  from  high  winds  is  an  indispensable  requirement, 
but  some  conflict  exists  as  to  the  necessity  of  choosing  a  damp  or  a  dry 
position.  I  have  no  hesitation,  however,  in  recommending  a  damp 
one,  provided  that  the  soil  is  light  and  porous.  It  is  questionable  if 
there  is,  in  truth,  much  real  difference  between  disputants.  In  a  stiff 
and  moisture-retaining  soil  a  dryish  position  is  not  in  any  way  harmful, 
but  in  a  light  and  dry  soil  I  have  in  dry  weather  seen  the  leaves  flagging, 
and  the  flower-stems  drooping  to  the  ground.  In  my  light  soil  I  find 
this  Primula  does  best  in  pockets  at  the  base  of  the  rockery,  and  rather 
below  than  above  the  level  of  the  adjacent  walk.  Unless  In  the  case  o’ 
strong  plants  turned  out  of  pots  with  the  ball  of  earth  attached,  I 
should  not  advise  planting  until  the  crown  begins  to  show  growth  in 
spring. 
Iris  cuistata. 
One  would  like  to  see  a  little  discussion  about  the  precise  require¬ 
ments  of  this  exquisite  little  North  American  Iris  of  the  Lvansia  section. 
Is  it  a  moisture-lover  or  not  ?  Does  it  like  a  light  or  a  heavy  soil  ? 
What  are  its  requirements  in  the  way  of  climate  ?  Here  are  three  ques¬ 
tions  on  which  some  readers  of  the  Journal  could  give  an  opinion.  I 
shall  have  something  to  say  on  these  points  by-and-by  ;  but  other 
growers  may  like  to  have  an  innings.  That  the  discussion  would  not 
be  a  waste  of  time  and  space  Is  apparent  when  we  think  of  the  great 
discrepancy  between  the  appearance  of  this  Crested  iris  as  seen  in 
different  gardens.  In  some  it  dies  off ;  in  others  it  only  manages  to 
struggle  for  existence ;  in  others  again  it  is  fairly  happy ;  while  in  a 
few  it  forms  clumps  and  even  masses  of  great  beauty.  Thus  the  ques¬ 
tions  indicated  above  may  well  form  a  basis  for  interchange  of  opinion 
and  experience — friendly,  of  course,  as  becomes  the  subject. 
Rock  Gardens. 
This  is  not  exactly  a  note  on  alpine  flowers,  but  comes  near  enough 
to  be  perhaps  excusable.  It  is  penned  lest  time  should  in  future 
prevent  me  making  a  remark  on  the  appreciative  mention  by  “  Tne 
Scribe”  in  “A  Resting  Tour”  of  the  rock  garden  in  the  Edinburgh 
Botanic  Gardens.  It  so  happens  that  this  rock  garden  has  come  in 
for  a  good  deal  of  adverse  criticism  ;  and  yet,  although  it  has  short¬ 
comings,  there  are  few  so  well  adapted  for  securing  the  welfare  of  the 
plants.  ”  The  Scribe,”  as  I  happen  to  know,  has  seen  flowers  many  and 
gardens  many,  and  it  was  with  keen  pleasure  that  1  read  his  favourable 
becembcr  24,  1698. 
opinion  of  the  Edinburgh  rock  garden.  He  is  a  practical  man,  and 
would  see  at  once  how  much  better  such  a  structure  is  adapted  for 
growing  flowers  than  many  more  expensive  and  more  elaborate  imita¬ 
tions  of  rackwork  which  are  too  often  only  death-traps  for  flowers. 
Much  artificial  rockwork  is  unsuited  for  growing  many  of  the  most 
beautiful  alpines,  and  those  who  have  the  opportunity  of  seeing  “  Auld 
Reekie  ”  should  not  fail  to  see  the  rockeries  in  the  Botanic  Garden.  As 
I  have  said,  they  have  faults,  but  are  worth  seeing  and  taking  a  lesson 
from  ;  and  are,  moreover,  well  stocked  with  flowers  which  in  themselves 
would  repay  one  for  a  visit. 
Saxifraga  Fortunei. 
This  autumn-flowering  Rockfoil  has  been  taken  unawares  (or  rather 
its  owner  has)  by  the  early  coming  of  wintry  weather,  and  the  buds  will 
not  now  open.  It  should  always  have  a  little  overhead  protection  in 
September  and  October.  I  had  omitted  this  owing  to  press  of  other 
matters,  and  have  in  consequence  had  to  deplore  the  loss  of  the  antici¬ 
pated  pleasure  of  once  more  seeing  the  curiously  formed  flowers  of 
Fjrtune’s  Rockfoil.  It  is  a  fresh  instance  of  the  truth  of  the  maxim 
that  ”  Procrastination  is  the  thief  of  time,”  or  more  properly  of  the  one 
that  “Delays  are  dangerous,”  and  the  man  who  prides  himself  upon 
never  being  too  late  will  feel  little  sympathy  for  the  writer.  In  form 
these  flowers  are  not  unlike  some  insect,  but  are  pretty  for  all  that,  and 
are  valuable  by  reason  of  their  late-blooming  habit — one  which  is  not  at 
all  frequent  among  plants  of  this  large  genus. — Alpinus. 
(To  be  continued.) 
RHODODENDRON  CLOTH  OF  GOLD. 
Efforts  with  the  object  of  improving  the  greenhouse  Rhododendrons 
have  been  unceasing  during  the  past  few  years,  and  no  one  has  had 
more  signal  success  than  Messrs  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Chelsea,  to  whose 
assiduous  efforts  we  owe  many  of  our  most  charming  varieties.  One  of 
their  most  striking  hybrids  is  Cloth  of  Gold,  of  which  we  give  a 
woodcut  (fig.  104).  This  was  exhibited  for  the  first  time  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  held  on  November  24tb,  when  it 
was  adjudged  an  award  of  merit.  The  truss  of  flowers  is  shapely  and 
compact,  but  the  colour  is  the  most  striking  feature,  rivalling,  at  it  does, 
the  Allamanda  in  the  richness  of  its  yellow  flowers.  This  handsome 
addition  to  the  family  was  obtained  from  a  cross  between  R.  Lord 
Woleeley  and  R.  Teysmanni. 
A  FEW  LITTLE  THINGS. 
The  big  things  are  having  their  day,  for  example  the  “  Home  of 
Horticulture  ”  in  last  week’s  Journal,  perhaps  we  may  get  in  a  few  little 
things.  The  “Mum”  fever  is  about  over,  thank  goodness  1  and  those 
affl  cted  with  it  having  in  some  measure  regained  their  sanity,  are  able 
again  to  take  a  reasonable  interest  in  other  gardening  matters.  Out¬ 
siders  who  have  escaped  the  fever  can  now  breathe  freely  and  settle  down 
to  ordinary  duties,  having  recovered  from  their  amazement  at  seeing 
their  “Mum”  afflicted  brethren  rush  about  in  frenzied  excitement 
from  show  to  show,  from  one  grower’s  place  to  another ;  at  seeing  some 
five  or  six  pages  of  their  gardening  paper  taken  up  for  a  month  or  six 
weeks  with  “Mums,”  and  nothing  bat  ‘'Mums”  (whereas  in  their 
younger  days  an  odd  “  par  ”  each  week  was  coneidered  all  that  was 
necessary).  They  feel  they  cun  now,  whilst  the  prizetakers  are  pluming 
themselves  on  their  victories,  swelling  out  with  admiration  at  their  cup 
trophies  ;  and  the  non-prizewinners,  poor  fellows  !  are  with  long  faces 
reckoning  up  “  ex’s,”  and  bitterly  rueing  their  mischances.  The  “  Old 
Boy  ”  has  done  well,  the  ethics  of  both  bothydom  and  the  gardener’s 
after  path,  and  therefore  it  may  be  permitted  that  “An  Old  Provincial  ” 
shall  be  allowed  to  say  a  word  or  two  on  a  few  little  things  which  he 
thinks  may  be  of  use  to  his  younger  brethren 
Perhaps,  however,  he  may  have  permission  given  him  to  tell  how  the 
series  of  articles  by  “  An  Old  Boy”  interested  him.  The  wisdom  of  the 
papers  all  through  both  series  was  to  him  a  pleasant  and  instructive 
experience.  There  was  a  peculiar  but  charming  qaaintness  in  the  style 
of  them  which  captivated  him,  and  led  to  a  second  perusal,  and  on  that 
second  reading  it  was  noticeable  how  much  more  fall  of  meaning  and 
beauty  they  were  than  was  discovered  on  their  being  first  read,  and 
there  arose  within  one  a  feeling  of  admiration  for  their  practicality, 
their  originality,  and  their  literary  excellence.  To  anyone  who  can 
api^reciate  literary  style,  they  must  have  been  struck  with  the  extent  of 
the  reading  and  the  variety  of  it ;  with  the  graceful  tact  and  judgment 
at  the  appositenesB  of  the  quotations,  and  the  correctness  with  which 
those  quotations  were  made.  Then  the  spirit  in  the  papers,  that  which 
shines  out  of  them  in  every  line  and  between  every  line,  is  a  refined,  an 
elevating,  and  a  strengthening  one.  If  he  care  for  the  thanks  of 
another  old  boy  they  are  here  conveyed  in  all  heartiness  for  having 
given  these  lessons  from  his  stores  of  wisdom. 
Thinking  over  and  looking  back  on  my  younger  days  there  was  one 
little  thing  which  was  a  source  of  anxiety,  and  the  information  to 
remove  that  anxiety  was  sought  for  diligently.  It  appeared  as  if  it  were 
80  small  a  matter  that  no  instructor  of  gardening  youth  had  thought  it 
