52 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  18,  1901. 
Xalllum  Xiowl. — To  this  very  distinct  and  pretty  Lily  a  first-class 
certificate  was  awarded  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  July  11th, 
1893,  when  it  was  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Hugh  Low  &  Co.  The  blooms 
are  of  medium  size,  white,  covered  with  bright  crimson  spots.  The 
leaves  are  deep  green,  about  3  inches  in  length.  It  is  sometimes  named 
L.  Bakeriana. 
Lillum  japonicum  var.  Alexandrae. —  When  this  Lilium  was 
exhibited  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chiswick  in 
1893,  it  came  from  two  firms — namely,  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd., 
and  Messrs.  Wallace  &  Co.  of  Colchester.  The  name  Ukeyuri  was  at 
that  time  applied  by  the  Messrs.  Yeitoh,  while  the  Colchester  firm  named 
it  L.  Alexandrae.  Mr.  J.  G.  Baker,  F.R.S.,  of  Kew,  considered  this  Lily 
as  a  variety  from  L.  japonicum.  It  is  one  of  the  handsomest,  though 
least  known,  of  the  Liliums.  In  the  year  above  referred  to  (1893)  it 
received  a  first-class  certificate. 
Typha  latlfolla. — The  Reed  Mace  or  Cat’s-tail  (and  sometimes 
erroneously  called  the  Bullrush)  has  its  flowers  in  dense,  dark  coloured, 
cylindrical,  or  oblong  spikes,  the  upper  and  more  slender  part 
consisting  of  male  flowers  only,  each  consisting  of  several  (or  three) 
monadelpbous  stamens,  and  the  lower  or  stouter  part  of  female  flowers 
with  a  single  ovary.  The  perianth  in  both  male  and  female  flowers  is 
reduced  to  a  few  slender  hairs.  The  rhizome  contains  much  starch, 
and  the  pollen  is  made  into  cakes  in  Sind  and  New  Zealand,  and  used 
as  a  food.  The  Great  Reed  Mace  is  one  of  the  most  handsome  water, 
loving  plants. 
Sowing'  Elm  and  Maple  Seeds.— -There  are  two  Maples,  Acer 
rubrum  and  Acer  dasycarpum,  the  red  and  the  silver  respectively,  and 
almost  all  Elms,  which  ripen  their  seeds  in  spring.  To  have  success  in 
sowing  the  seeds,  says  Mr.  Jos.  Meehan,  in  “  The  Florist’s  Exchange,” 
they  require  to  be  sown  very  soon  after  being  gathered.  Unlike  many 
other  seeds,  they  will  not  keep  their  vitality  long,  and  the  best  success 
comes  from  immediate  sowing.  But  though  many  failures  come  from 
delaying  the  sowing,  if  the  seeds  are  kept  in  a  cool  place,  free  from  air 
which  would  dry  them  out,  it  is  not  impossible  to  have  them  germinate 
when  sown  in  the  autumn,  as  a  case  of  this  kind,  with  Red  Maple  seeds, 
came  under  the  writer’s  notice.  There  are  many  Maples  which  do  not 
ripen  seed  in  spring,  but,  so  far  as  I  know,  there  is  but  one  Elm  of  all 
our  native  sorts,  viz.,  the  Ulmus  crassifolia,  a  Texan  one,  whioh  does 
not  ripen  until  the  very  last  thing  in  autumn.  Seeds  of  the  early 
ripening  kinds,  sown  now,  give  seedlings  of  nice  size  by  September  or 
October. 
Hardy  Acacias  In  Bloom  In  Crieff.— A  correspondent  writes  : _ 
Again  the  Acacia  growing  in  a  garden  on  the  Comrie  Road,  Crieff,  has 
come  into  bloom.  The  Acacia  comes  of  a  large  family,  there  being  over 
four  hundred  varieties,  but,  so  far,  this  specimen  (which  is,  of  course,  of 
a  hardy  variety)  on  the  Comrie  Road  has  not  been  classed  at  all  definitely 
by  any  of  the  local  arboriculturists.  The  tree,  which  is  situated  in 
the  south-west  corner  of  the  garden  of  Aveland  House,  Crieff,  the 
property  of  Mr.  H.  B.  Neave,  is  about  40  feet  high,  with  light  graceful 
stem.  The  foliage  is  that  of  the  hardy  Acacia  now  so  common  to  all 
gardeners,  and  which  are  numerous  all  over  this  district.  It  was 
commonly  believed  that  the  Acacia  would  not  bloom  in  this  climate, 
until  two  years  ago  an  arboriculturist  passing  through  the  town 
noticed  this  one  in  bloom,  and  communicated  with  the  “  City  Press  ” 
on  the  subject.  This  tree  is  believed  to  have  been  brought  from  the 
Continent  of  Europe  by  the  late  Dr.  Guise,  who  at  one  time  resided  in 
the  house.  It  is  not  quite  clear  why  this  particular  tree  should  bloom 
profusely.  It  cannot  be  on  account  of  its  age,  for  a  young  shrub  of  the 
same  species  is  also  said  to  be  in  bloom  in  a  garden  on  the  same  road. 
Further  in  a  grove  of  Acacias  of  the  same  hardy  variety  in  a  nursery 
on  the  same  road,  having  an  equally  well  sheltered  and  sunny  position 
as  their  flowering  neighbours,  not  one  is  showing  the  slightest  evidence 
of  bloom,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  many  others  situated  in  many 
parts  of  the  town  and  district,  including  Drummond  Castle  Gardens, 
which  have  been  examined  during  the  past  week.  The  bloom  of  this 
Acacia  is  in  clusters  similar  in  size  and  form  to  that  of  the  Laburnum 
but  of  a  soft  white  colour  with  a  very  delicate  perfume. 
Ruta  graveolens,  the  common  or  garden  Rue,  has  a  very 
powerful  and  disagreeable  odour,  due  to  the  presence  of  a  bitter, 
nauseous,  volatile  oil  in  the  leaves.  The  plants  of  the  order  Rutacea? 
are  remarkable  for  their  strong  aromatic  or  foetid  odour.  They  have 
usually  anti-spasmodic  and  tonic  properties. 
Seneclo  auriculatissimus. — Quite  a  distinot  change  has  been 
made  in  the  section  of  the  genus  Senecio,  which  is  perhaps  best  known 
by  the  name  of  Cineraria,  by  the  introduction  of  this  yellow-flowered 
species.  Seeds  were  Bent  to  Kew  in  1889  from  British  Central  Africa,, 
and  it  flowered  for  the  first  time  in  1900.  It  is  a  plant  of  somewhat 
straggling  habit,  with  small,  curiously  shaped,  glaucous  leaves,  with 
large-winffpd  stipules,  and  produces  large,  loose  inflorescences  of 
bright  yellow  flowers  both  from  the  apices  of  the  branches  and  axillary 
buds.  The  individual  heads  of  flowers  are  1  inch  aoross,  and  composed 
of  ray  and  disc  florets,  the  former  being  similar  in  size  to  those  of 
S.  cruenta.  It  grows  well  under  similar  conditions  to  the  garden 
Cineraria,  and  may  be  trained  round  stakes  or  allowed  to  clothe  the 
base  of  a  pillar.  If  it  could  be  crossed  with  the  better  known 
Cinerarias  a  distinct  race  should  result.  Several  plants  are  to  be 
seen  in  the  temperate  house  at  Kew. — W.  D. 
A  rew  Good  Carnations. — When  at  Wellesbourne  House  the 
other  day,  Mr.  H.  Simes  showed  me  some  beautiful  flowers  of  the 
variety  Mrs.  W.  Lawson.  They  were  of  a  lovely  bright  rose  colour,  were 
large  and  full,  and  were  borne  on  very  stiff  stems.  It  is  evidently  a 
grand  variety,  but,  alas!  it  has  one  weakness — viz.,  a  distinct  aversion 
to  the  production  of  young  shoots  ;  it  is  therefore  not  likely  to  become 
very  common  for  some  years,  unless  this  weakness  can  be  overcome. 
Cecilia,  a  rich  yellow,  is  one  which  all  should  grow ;  R.  H.  Measures 
and  Iolanthe  are  good,  self-coloured  flowers  ;  Mrs.  Clibran  is  a  free 
bloomer,  which  all  should  grow,  it  struck  me  as  being  particularly 
distinct.  The  best  description  I  can  give  of  it,  from  memory,  is  that 
the  colour  is  rose-crimson  edged  with  white.  Lady  Margaret  Ismay  is 
a  large  full  flower,  with  a  white  ground,  edged  and  striped  with  magenta. 
Each  of  the  above  varieties  are  worthy  of  the  attention  of  those  who 
like  a  good  display  of  Carnations  in  pots  during  the  spring  and  early 
summer  months. — H.  D. 
Rubus  Inclsus. — Though  a  very  pretty  and  ornamental  plant,  the 
early  flowering  season  of  this  species  excludes  it  from  outdoor  collections 
exoept  in  places  where  sharp  spring  frosts  are  not  experienced.  It  is 
a  native  of  China  and  Japan,  and  makes  stout,  fairly  straight,  many- 
branched  stems,  7  to  8  feet  high,  clothed  with  numerous  small,  finely 
cut  leaves.  It  is  deciduous,  but  starts  into  growth  very  early,  the  leaves 
being  well  advanced  early  in  March.  About  the  end  of  March  the  first 
flowers  begin  to  expand,  the  flowering  period  continuing  until  mid- 
April.  The  flowers  are  borne  singly  from  every  bud  on  last  year’s 
wood ;  they  are  pure  white,  rather  more  than  an  inch  across,  and 
pendulous.  By  growing  in  a  cold  house  where  leaves  and  flowers  cannot 
be  injured  by  frost,  a  charming  combination  is  made  by  the  elegant,, 
pale  green  leaves  intermixed  with  white  blossoms.  Like  the  majority 
of  Rubus,  it  grows  well  in  any  good  loamy  soil,  and  gives  very  little  trouble. 
After  flowering,  if  the  fruit  is  not  required,  old  flowering  wood  should 
be  removed  to  give  light  and  air  to  young  growths.  In  the  Himalayan 
house  at  Kew  a  plant  may  now  be  seen. — W.  D. 
Cupressus  funebrls  var.  glauea. — Of  all  cultivated  Conifers 
there  is  not  one  that  can  lay  claim  to  more  gracefulness  and  beanty 
than  this,  though  it  cannot  be  said  to  be  by  any  means  the  most  useful 
for  decorative  work  out  of  doors,  as  it  is  slightly  tender,  and  only 
succeeds  in  favoured  localities.  In  a  cold  house  it  is  quite  at  home, 
grows  freely,  and  does  not  mind  a  few  degrees  of  frost  reaching  itr 
providing  the  shelter  is  sufficient  to  keep  off  excessive  cold.  It  is  a 
native  of  China,  where  it  is  said  to  be  a  favourite  plant  for  growing  in 
cemeteries.  It  was  introduced  into  European  gardens  in  184S  by 
Robert  Fortune,  but  has  never  become  very  common.  It  makes  quite 
a  tall  tree,  with  elegant  pendulous  branches  clothed  with  beautiful 
glaucous  foliage,  the  branches  often  hanging  down  to  a  length  of  2  or 
3  feet.  It  succeeds  well  grafted  on  stocks  of  C.  Goweniana,  lusitapioa, 
and  other  semi-tender  species  ;  and  likes  a  rather  light,  well  drained, 
and  loamy  soil.  Grown  in  large  pots  or  tubs  it  makes  an  excellent 
plant  for  the  decoration  of  corridors  or  rooms,  keeping  in  good  condition 
for  a  considerable  time.  It  is  occasionally  met  with  under  the  names  of 
C.  pendula  and  C.  kashmiriana,  which  are  synonyms  of  C.  funebris. 
— D.  K. 
