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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  5,  1901. 
Carnation  N[rs.  T.  W.  Lawson. 
Has  this  greatly  talked  of  variety  been  over-propagated,  or  in 
our  hurry  to  get  blooms  have  we  forced  the  plants  unduly,  and  so 
weakened  their  prospects  as  to  make  us  think  that  “  our  American 
cousins”  were  a  long  way  behind  us  in  their  knowledge  of  what  con¬ 
stituted  a  good  flower,  and  that  the  thirty  thousand  dollars  paid  for  it 
was  a  mere  waste  of  money  ?  I  have  written  on  flowers  that  I  saw  in 
various  parts  of  the  country,  and  my  practical  knowledge  always  led  me 
to  think  that  I  had  not  met  with  it  in  perfection,  judging  from  the  weak 
appearanoe  of  the  plants,  and  in  this  I  found  my  surmising  quite 
correct. 
Visiting  Knowsley  Hall  recently,  where  special  houses  are  kept 
separately  for  pot  Carnations,  and  only  the  cream  of  varieties  are 
grown,  my  attention  was  at  once  arrested  by  several  plants  of  this 
variety  so  superior  to  other  blooms  that  I  had  seen  that  I  was  obliged 
to  ask  the  name.  Instead  of  the  rather  washy  rose  coloured  flowers 
that  I  had  previously  seen,  and  somewhat  spindly  stems,  the  flowers 
were  large,  of  the  deepest  rose  colour,  free  from  splitting,  and  the 
longest  and  stoutest  stems  of  anything  I  had  hitherto  seen.  Mr.  Doe, 
the  gardener,  informed  me  that  it  was  the  first  time  he  had  got  it  good, 
and  had  felt  at  times  constrained  to  throw  it  away.  Not  so  now,  but  a 
greater  stock  in  future,  more  especially  aB  Lady  Derby  had  even  written 
to  ask  the  name  of  the  lovely  variety  with  the  long  stems.  I  believe 
that,  well  grown  and  not  hurried,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Lawson  will  hold  its 
position  for  years.  The  colour,  however,  is  so  beautiful  that  strong 
sunshine  should  be  avoided. — R.  P.  R. 
Vagaries  of  Variegation. 
Some  three  or  four  years  ago  an  interesting  article  on  variegation 
appeared  in  “  our  Journal,”  from  Mr.  Paul,  I  think,  which  was  allowed  to 
pass  without  a  single  comment.  Again  in  the  Journal  of  July  18th, 
1901,  “  K.,  Dublin ,”  has  another  very  interesting  article  on  the  same 
subjeot.  I  regret  to  see  it  has  also  been  ignored.  There,  however, 
muBt  be  a  great  number  of  cultivators  who  are  very  much  interested  in 
the  practical  part  of  producing  the  highest  development  of  which  they  are 
capable.  There  are  also  some  of  us  interested  in  the  why  and  wherefore 
of  the  unknown  oause  of  such  variegation,  and  welcome  any  information 
which  leads  up  to  that  knowledge. 
But  what  is  variegation  p  I  think  it  is  generally  conceded  to  be 
the  absence  of  chlorophyll  from  the  green  parental  form.  If  that  is  so, 
it  should  be  the  aim  of  cultivators  to  develop  the  variegation,  and  to 
eliminate  a  good  part  of  the  parental  green,  so  as  to  have  the  tvyo  well- 
defined  proportions.  How  p  Well,  there  are  certain  conditions  by 
which  experience  teaches  that  various  conditions  are  necessary  to 
bring  about  the  best  results — shade  is  essential  for  some  plants, 
air  and  strong  sunlight  in  others ;  or,  again,  poor  soil  and  not  much 
of  it,  for  others.  A  few  instances  may  suffice.  I  have  two 
Parfugium  grandes  growing  in  a  greenhouse ;  the  variegated  spots  are 
well  defined,  but  when  the  plants  are  put  outdoors  the  leaves  become 
dark  green,  the  spots  nearly  gone.  A  golden-leaved  Tradescantia 
grown  in  good  light  near  the  glass  is  good ;  grown  in  the  shade  it  loses 
its  variegation.  Nepeta  Gleohoma  variegata  is  well  defined  in  a  green¬ 
house,  but  planted  outdoors  it  beoomes  dull  and  indistinct.  Need  I 
mention  variegated  Ivy,  which  is  well  known  to  lose  its  variegation  if 
planted  in  rich  soil  ? 
“  K.,  Dublin,  wisely  remarks  that  variegation,  as  commonly  under¬ 
stood,  differs  from  the  normal  green  type,  and  plenty  of  instances  are 
to  be  found  in  various  classes  of  plants ;  in  farm  cropB  variegated 
Carrots,  Cabbages,  Mangolds,  Turnips,  &c.  I  have  before  me  four 
fresh  variegated  leaves  of  a  Turnip,  two  leaves  a  good  white  with 
normal  green,  the  other  two,  creamy  yellow  with  olive  green,  all  from 
the  same  plant  and  perfectly  healthy,  but  how  to  explain  the  why 
and  wherefore  I  know  not.  Amongst  wild  plants  I  have  found  and 
cultivated  variegated  White  Clover,  Dock,  Ribgrass,  and  White  Nettle. 
The  latter  I  have  grown  for  six  years  for  experiment,  and  find  a  good 
variegation  can  be  kept  by  pinching  out  the  green  shoots  ;  raised  from 
seeds  a  fair  proportion  come  variegated. 
The  number  of  cultivated  variegated  plants  are  simply  legion,  but 
what  differences  they  exhibit !  Some  of  them  have  poor,  ill-defined 
variegation,  whilst  others  are  simply  beautiful.  The  latter  are  generally 
those  with  well  defined  green  in  the  centre,  and  with  good  variegation 
on  either  side,  or  with  green  on  either  side  and  the  variegation  in  the 
centre.  There  are  also  some  very  pleasing  forms  in  the  spotted  and 
veined  class  of  plants.  These,  I  take  it,  “  K.”  would  put  in  the  fixed 
and  unalterable  variegated  class  of  plants  ? — S. 
Cinerarias  and  Wiiite  Wireworms. 
In  a  reply,  on  page  188,  to  a  correspondent  who  wishes  to  know 
what  has  attacked  the  roots  of  his  Cinerarias,  I  would  ask,  Is  it  not 
oossiili  trat  this  may  be  an  attack  cf  eelworms,  which  are  white,  but 
certainly  unlike  wireworms,  as  mentioned  by  your  querist?  My 
xr>erience  is  that  the  Cineraria,  like  the  Malmaison  Carnation,  in  some 
soilp  is  liable  to  be  attacked  with  eelworm  unless  the  soil  is  charred 
previous  to  use  for  potting.  My  ideas  are  that  soil  from  worn-out 
pastures  and  parks  that  have  never  been  under  any  proper  cultivation, 
merely  oommon  lands  enclosed,  where  the  grass  is  tussocky  and  coarse, 
are  infested,  or  liable  to  be  infested,  with  eelworm.  Such  soils  are  best 
avoided  for  all  plants,  but  if  used  should  be  slaked  for  at  least  six  or 
nine  months,  keeping  all  the  grass  cut  so  as  to  destroy  the  roots  and 
starve  out  the  eelworms,  and  to  char  the  soil  previous  to  using  it.  If 
an  iron  plate  is  heated,  the  turf  may  be  thrown  on,  and  turned  over  so 
as  to  get  well  heated  through,  which  will  effectually  destroy  the  pests. 
F.  Street. 
Notes  on  tlie  Glasgow  Sliow. 
Results  show  that  the  executive  oommittee  omitted  two  measures 
that  could  not  have  failed  to  add  greatly  to  the  comfort  and  pleasure  of 
visitors;  the  one,  the  lighting  of  the  tents  after  7.30,  when  it  became 
too  dark  to  see  anything  in  the  dusk ;  the  other,  a  small  charge  for 
admission  might  well  have  been  made,  and  this  would  have  gone  far  to 
obviate  the  truly  awful  ornsh  that  commenced  as  soon  as  people 
became  aware  of  the  attractions  that  were  awaiting  their  inspection 
free  of  all  charge  beyond  the  usual  admission  to  the  International 
Exhibition.  A  gentleman  with  whom  I  travelled  from  Glasgow 
informed  me  he  had  made  a  journey  of  sixty  miles,  and  was  returning 
without  having  been  able  to  get  more  than  a  general  view  of  the 
exhibits,  nothing  like  it  having  occurred  in  his  experience  of  a  nature 
quite  so  pronounced  since  the  International  Fruit  Show  held  in  the 
Music  Hall,  Edinburgh,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  when  we  had  to 
move  round  in  a  continuous  stream  without  stopping  to  note  anything 
on  the  way. 
I  am  able  now  to  send  the  name  of  the  exhibitor  who  secured  the 
first  prize  for  six  bouquets  and  six  baskets  of  cut  flowers  Messrs. 
Malcolm  Campbell,  Ltd.,  florists,  Gordon  Street,  Glasgow,  and  to  whom 
all  praise  is  due  for  the  exhibit  as  a  whole,  but  for  the  bouquets  in 
particular;  the  baskets  in  the  second  prize  lot,  from  Messrs.  Jones 
and  Sons,  Shrewsbury,  being,  perhaps,  the  best  in  the  whole  of  the 
exhibits  in  this  class.  After  dispatch  of  wire  on  Wednesday,  special 
awards  were  made  to  the  group  of  stove  plants  and  Orchids  from 
Messrs.  Hugh  Low  &  Co.,  Clapton,  and  to  the  composition  of  stove  and 
greenhouse  plants  exhibited  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Chelsea. 
To  Mr.  Russell,  Redlands,  Kelvinside,  a  first-class  certificate  was  awarded 
for  a  plant  of  Lycopodium  scariosa,  which  originated  on  the  stem  of  a 
Tree  Fern  eighteen  years  after  its  importation  from  New  Zealand. 
Of  the  few  classes  omitted  in  the  report  in  last  issue  mention  may 
be  made  of  the  fine  examples  of  Crotons  (four)  with  which  Mr.  Gault 
secured  first  prize,  and  the  extra  fine  plants,  six  in  number,  of  double 
Begonias  staged  by  Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Ltd.,  Feltham,  and  to  which 
first  prize  was  awarded.  Note  should  also  be  made  of  the  class  for 
twenty  four  large  flowering  Asters,  in  which  Mr.  Stewart,  Lily  bank, 
Stewarton,  was  first,  and  of  the  grand  lot  of  Pentstemons,  in  twenty-four 
varieties,  the  winner  here  being  Mr.  J.  Rowatt,  Glassford,  with  Mr. 
Stewart  a  good  seoond.  One  could  not  but  feel  surprised  that  these 
brilliant  flowers  of  autumn  had  been  entirely  overlooked  by  the 
exhibitors  of  hardy  border  flowers.  Another  surprise  that  was 
generally  felt  was  the  obvious  decadence  of  the  oulture  of  plants  in 
pots.  1  heir  day  is  clearly  over  for  the  present,  at  least  in  Scotland  ; 
small  plants  in  small  pots  being  the  only  class  of  material  required  and 
provided.  It  is,  however,  a  pity  that  as  far  as  flower  shows  are 
concerned,  there  seem  to  be  few  or  none  in  the  north  to  supply  a  gap 
so  much  felt. — B. 
- «♦♦»> - 
Iftns  cottons. 
Frequently  during  the  last  few  weeks  we  have  had  specimens  of 
the  Smoke  Sumach  sent  us  to  be  named.  We  give  here  an  illustration  of 
a  bush  of  this  peculiar,  yet  very  ornamental  hardy  shrub,  with  the  hope 
that  gardeners  not  possessing  this  member  in  their  sbrnb  collections 
may  be  induced  to  plant  one  or  two  specimens  during  the  ooming 
autumn.  The  shrub  favours  a  sheltered  nook  with  its  roots  in  good 
loamy  soil.  The  foliage  is  smooth  and  of  a  beautiful  deep  green  colour. 
The  inflorescence  is  the  feature  of  chief  attraction  and  deoorativeness 
however,  and  at  this  season,  when  they  have  assumed  that  reddish  - 
du  ky  shade  peculiar  to  them,  there  is  indeed  a  very  real  likeness  to  an 
overhanging  mantle  of  smoke,  from  which  resemblance  the  shrub  has 
been  colloquially  named  the  Smoke  Sumach.  The  subject  of  our 
illustration  was  photographed  in  the  gardens  of  T.  W.  Webley,  Esq., 
The  Uplands,  Selly  Hill,  near  Birmingham,  but  our  portrayal  scaroely 
does  the  tree  justice.  The  inflorescenses  are  so  light  and  feathery  that 
frequently  they  are  used  in  the  lighter  class  of  hand  bouquets.  The 
autumnal  foliage  assumes  a  rosy-orimson  hue. 
