September  19,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
267 
CARDEN,  GLEANINGS 
Sunflowers. — A  Sunflower  13  feet  11^  inches  high,  with  a  flower 
12  inohes  across,  and  leaves  221  inohes  across,  and  the  stem  7J  inches 
round,  is  surely  a  giant  of  its  kind. 
Freesla  refracta  alba. — There  is  no  call  for  remarks  regarding 
this  most  lovely  and  odorous  of  spring  bulbous  flowers.  To  look  at  the 
tastefully  arranged  vases  of  the  pure  white  flowers  in  the  illustration  on 
page  272,  from  the  Wordsley  firm,  is  enough  to  cause  one  to  envy  all 
who  can  so  successfully  grow  and  arrange  this  incomparable  flower. 
In  some  parts  of  Devonshire  Freesias  are  cultivated  in  the  open  air. 
They  are  chiefly  grown  for  early  forcing,  however,  and  can  be  had 
before  Christmas.  The  bulbs  must  be  potted  in  August  for  such  early 
work. 
Erythronlum  revolutum  Pink  Beauty. — Though  the  Dog’s- 
tooth  Violets  are  panegyrised  at  great  length  all  the  year  round,  their 
culture  does  not  meet  with  such  support  as  that  of  the  true  Violets — 
varieties  of  V.  odorata.  To  obtain  the  best  results  the  Erythroniums 
require  to  be  planted  4  or  5  inohes  deep  at  the  very  least.  This  has 
been  the  experience  of  Mr.  William  Barr  in  his  nursery  at  Long  Ditton. 
His  firm  are  now  offering  the  variety  Pink  Beauty,  one  of  their 
illustrations  cf  which  appears  on  page  268.  It  is  a  profuse  bloomer, 
and  one  of  the  best  in  point  of  colour  that  has  so  far  been  introduced. 
“  The  flowers  are  large  with  gracefully  reflexing  petals,  the  colour  a 
delicate  pink  with  a  central  zone  of  gold.”  The  Dog’s-tooth  Violet 
delights  in  moist  soil  and  shade. 
Narcissus  maximus  and  N.  Jobnstonl  Queen  of  Spain. — 
Here  we  have  two  of  the  most  useful  Daffodils  it  is  possible  to  select, 
and  two,  fortunately,  that  are  very  much  in  favour.  The  former  is 
useful  either  for  foroing  in  pots,  for  growing  in  the  grass  by  the 
thousand,  or  equally  for  cut  flower  purposes  in  open  beds.  Both  are 
yellow  trumpet  Daffodils.  We  always  regard  the  latter  as  one  of  a 
half  dozen  that  are  peerless  in  beauty  compared  against  any  other 
variety  of  the  genus.  The  reflexed  perianth  lends  surpassing  grace  and 
piquancy  to  this  variety,  and  also  to  the  King  of  Spain.  It  has  been 
attempted  to  cross  the  ordinary  trumpet  Daffodils  and  others  with  these 
two  reflexed  varieties,  but  they  seem  not  to  be  fertile,  at  least  no 
success  has  rewarded  hybridisers  as  yet.  The  dwarf  N.  oyclamineus 
gives  hopes  of  transmitting  the  reflexed  perianth  character,  from  trials 
that  have  already  been  made  with  it.  The  two  varieties  we  name  are 
figured  on  page  274,  from  blocks  Messrs.  J.  Peed  &  Son  of  Norwood. 
lilllum  auratum  :  a  Flue  Example. — In  the  terrace  garden  of 
Captain  Pentreath,  Aubrey  Villa,  Penzance,  a  few  days  ago  I  noticed  a 
plant  of  the  above  with  three  spikes,  bearing  112  nearly  all  fully 
expanded  blooms,  on  stems  10  feet  2  inohes  in  height,  and  3  inohes 
in  circumference.  These  are  from  a  single  bulb  planted  in  the  spring  of 
1897.  This  appears  to  be  quite  a  distinot  variety ;  the  individual 
blooms  are  in  character  with  the  growth,  being  very  fine  and  beautifully 
marked.  A  plant  just  below  this  one,  and  planted  at  the  same  time, 
is  a  good  example  of  the  ordinary  type.  The  Morab  Gardens,  close 
by,  are  very  attractive,  and  just  now  are  at  their  best.  Noticeable 
are  the  huge  bushes  of  Hydrangea  Hortensia,  with  their  pale  blue  and 
pink  blossoms ;  also  very  attractive  and  novel  were  smaller  plants, 
li  foot  in  height,  and  bearing  from  twelve  to  sixteen  blooms,  used  as 
a  bordering  to  a  shrubbery.  Six  Tree  Ferns,  Dicksonia  antarctioa,  with 
8  feet  stems,  and  plunged  in  tubs,  in  a  semicirole  under  the  shade  of 
some  Elms,  gave  evidenoe  from  their  luxuriant  growth  and  fresh 
appearance  that  they  were  perfectly  at  home.  The  New  Zealand 
Flax,  Phormium  tenax,  as  also  its  variegated  form  ;  Dracaenas  australis 
and  indivisa,  were  conspicuous  examples  amongst  many  other  half-hardy 
trees,  shrubs,  and  flowering  plants,  which  at  all  seasons  of  the  year 
make  these  gardens  so  novel  and  interesting.  In  and  around  Penzance 
are  to  be  found  many  of  the  half-hardy  trees  and  shrubs  met  with 
in  the  Scilly  Islands,  and  in  most  instances  have  a  decided  freshness 
and  more  luxurious  appearance  than  on  the  islands.  This  is  to  be 
accounted  for  by  the  shelter  and  protection  afforded  by  the  villas  or 
otherwise  to  which  the  garden  plots  are  attached.  Particularly  fine 
and  effective  are  the  Fuchsias,  especially  so  the  white  petalled  forms. 
— J.  Adsten. 
Freesias. — These  should  be  planted  as  soon  as  they  are  received. 
They  may  either  be  grown  in  pots  (four  or  five  bulbs  in  a  4-inch 
pot)  or  in  shallow  boxes.  No  covering  of  the  pots  or  the  bench  is 
neoessary  after  the  bulbs  are  planted.  Keep  them  as  near  the  glass 
as  is  convenient,  water  sparingly  until  growth  starts  freely,  and  avoid 
a  high  temperature. 
Galanthus  Whlttalll  (Snowdrop). — It  is  not  often  that  we 
specially  illustrate  a  species  of  Snowdrop  as  we  do  on  page  276  of  the 
present  issue.  This  species  (at  least  we  will  call  it  a  true  species) 
created  more  than  usual  interest  when  it  was  shown  in  the  Drill  Hall 
at  one  of  the  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  last  spring. 
As  will  be  seen  on  referring  to  the  illustration,  the  foliage  is  extra¬ 
ordinarily  broad  and  vigorous,  and  is  coloured  a  rich  glaucous  green,  a 
point  in  its  favour.  The  flowers  themselves  are  bold  and  handsome, 
and  when  fully  expanded  they  are  very  beautiful  indeed.  Its  size  and 
general  characteristics  render  it  at  once  distinctive,  and  an  advance, 
in  this  respect,  upon  nearly  all  other  Snowdrops  except,  perhaps, 
G.  Ikarim.  It  is  recommended  by  Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons  for  naturalising 
in  the  grass,  or  for  borders. 
Narcissi  Stella  superba. — On  another  cage  we  are  provided  with 
a  very  true  illustration  of  that  most  beautiful  Narcissus  named  Stella 
superba,  as  photographed  by  Messrs.  Sutton.  It  is  perhaps  the  finest 
Narcissus  in  its  seotion,  namely,  the  Incomparabilis,  under  which  are 
also  the  well-known  Gloria  Mundi,  Frank  Miles,  Cynosure,  Gwyther, 
Lucifer,  Mabel  Cowan,  and  others.  We  have  often  observed  how 
strangers,  admiring  a  group  or  collection  of  Narcissus  at  shows,  have 
almost  unfailingly  been  specially  attracted  to  N.  Stella  superba,  6ven 
when  this  variety  has  been  huddled  amidst  numerous  others.  There  is 
the  older  type,  named  simply  Narcissus  stella,  but  the  variety  from  it 
is  greatly  its  superior,  with  flowers  more  than  twioe  as  large.  The 
perianth  is  clear  white,  and  spreading ;  the  cup  is  a  beautiful  showy 
yellow.  Each  flower  is  held  up  on  long  stems,  a  merit  which  all  who 
require  cut  flowers  for  decoration  will  appreciate. 
Xlllum  nepalense. — A  very  fine  form  of  this  interesting  Lily  is 
at  the  present  time  flowering  in  the  Himalayan  house  at  Kew.  As 
in  L.  Lowi,  a  great  difference  oocurs  in  the  size  and  marking  of  the 
flowers.  In  the  plant  under  notice  the  flowers  are  5  inohes  across  with 
reflexed  perianth,  the  tips  of  the  segments  are  greenish-yellow,  the 
remainder  being  very  deep  purple,  almost  black.  In  addition  to  this 
species  being  of  recent  introduction,  and  it  not  having  had  time  to 
become  well  known,  its  soarcity  is  in  a  great  measure  due  to  its  being 
rather  a  difficult  one  to  keep  from  year  to  year.  Planted  in  a  border 
indoors  of  very  sandy  peat  and  loam  in  small  groups  among  Rhodo¬ 
dendrons  as  at  Kew,  it  stands  a  much  better  chance  than  when  grown 
in  pots,  as  evidenced  by  the  sturdier  growth  and  finer  flowers.  The 
specimens  at  Kew  are  now  flowering  for  the  seoond,  and  in  some  cases 
third  time  in  succession  without  being  disturbed,  and  each  time  the 
growth  has  been  stronger  and  the  flowers  better  than  the  previous  year. 
The  same  thing  can  also  be  said  of  other  species,  sulphureum  and 
auratum  being  good  oases  for  illustration. — W.  D. 
Strawberries  In  Pots. —  Watering  the  plants  must  not  be 
neglected,  but  they  are  seriously  injured  by  continued  needless 
watering.  The  varieties  intended  for  early  forcing  should  soon  be 
given  the  protection  of  frames,  only  using  the  lights  in  frosty  weather 
and  to  throw  off  heavy  rains  and  snow,  ventilating  freely  when  the 
weather  is  mild,  withdrawing  the  lights  when  fair,  and  when  wet  tilting 
them.  Any  plants  that  have  the  soil  very  wet,  and  remain  so  for  some 
time  without  watering,  should  have  the  watering  seen  to.  The  crowns 
are  often  too  numerous,  not  on  La  Grosse  Suoree,  but  on  Vicomtesse 
Hericart  de  Thury,  and  some  other  varieties.  Where  a  number  of 
orowns  duster  round  the  central  one,  remove  the  small  ones  sideways 
with  a  wedge-like  piece  of  wood  without  injuring  the  central  crown  or 
crowns,  or  the  leaves.  This  will  concentrate  all  the  vigour  of  the 
plant  in  the  chief  orown  or  orowns,  and  though  there  will  be  fewer 
trusses  of  bloom  there  is  no  need  to  fear  a  deficiency  of  crop.  There 
is  nothing  like  a  loose  surface  for  Strawberries  in  pots,  which  prevents 
the  soil  leaving  the  sides  of  the  pots,  and  admits  of  the  water  passing 
evenly  through  the  ball,  moistening  the  soil  thoroughly.  A  little  dried 
cow  manure  or  horse  droppings  rubbed  through  a  i-inoh  sieve 
applied  to  the  surface  of  the  pots  will  keep  all  right  there.  Remove  all 
runners  as  they  appear,  also  weeds,  and  do  not  allow  the  plants  to 
suffer  for  want  of  room,  giving  them  plenty  of  spaoe  for  the  ful 
exposure  of  the  foliage  to  light  and  air,  which  is  essential  to  a  steady 
growth,  and  plump  well-developed  crowns. — G.  A. 
