424 
■JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
November  7,  1901. 
EATINGS 
A  New  Plum. 
Crocuses  from  Greece. 
Mr.  Bowles  sent  specimens  to  the  Scientific  Committee  of  the 
following  species  : — C.  Tournefortei,  remarkable  for  never  closing 
after  the  perianth  has  once  opened ;  C.  ochroleucus,  with  eight 
segments  to  the  perianth  and  eight  stamens ;  C.  sativus  v.  cash- 
mirianus  and  v.  Elwesi,  a  scarce  form  ;  C.  longiflorus,  vars.  Wilhelmi, 
and  melitensis  with  striped  perianth  leaves  ;  C.  marathonisius,  a  new 
Greek  species ;  and  C.  lsevigatus,  showing  much  range  of  colouring, 
including  a  pure  white  form. 
Acacia  alata. 
Once  seen  and  examined,  this  distinctive  species  of  March 
flowering  Acacia  is  not  readily  forgotten.  The  flowers  are  orange 
yellow,  and  lie  almost  upon  the  broadly  winged  branches,  for 
they  possess  very  short  peduncles.  It  is  a  much-branched  species, 
and  prefers  border  treatment  rather  than  pot  culture.  The 
leaves  assume  the  character  of  phyllodes,  are  short,  bifarious,  and 
decurrent.  It  was  found  near  by  the  Swan  River  in  1840.  Under 
suitable  conditions  it  grows  6ft  to  8ft  high.  It  is  very  frequently 
called  Acacia  platyptera,  but  the  “  Index  Kewensis  ”  does  not 
recognise  the  name. 
Ferns  Growing  upon  Ferns  ! 
At  the  latest  Scientific  Committee  meeting  a  proliferous  Harts- 
tongue  Fern  was  shown.  Mr.  Druery  exhibited  a  growing  plant, 
known  as  Seolopendrium  v.  cristatum  viviparum,  O'Kelly.  It 
was  a  particularly  proliferous  seedling.  Mr.  Druery  raised  it  from 
spores.  The  young  fronds  bore  dense  clusters  of  young  plants  all 
over  their  surfaces,  while  the  original  bears  them  far  more  sparsely 
Mr.  Druery  also  pointed  out  that  the  venation  of  the  plants,  like  that, 
of  the  parents,  was  partially  reticulated,  instead  of  being  normally 
furcate  and  free.  Fronds  of  three  other  species  were  produced 
which  were  affected  by  a  peculiar  dark  brown  spreading  rot,  which 
Mr.  Druery  said  was  contagious,  simple  contact  of  healthy  fronds 
with  fronds  so  affected  leading  to  their  rotting  in  like|manner.  Dr. 
Cooke  undertook  to  examine  whether  it  was  of  fungoid  origin. 
Thin-skinned  Grapes. 
The  soil  and  atmosphere  were  recently  saturated  by  the  rain, 
and  these  have  caused  Black  Hamburgh  and  other  thin-skinned 
Grapes  to  damp  considerably.  A  slight  warmth  in  the  hot-water 
pipes  of  the  vinery  will  be  required  almost  constantly  to  maintain 
an  equable  temperature,  but  this  must  not  be  too  high,  or  it 
will  cause  the  Grapes  to  shrivel  prematurely.  A  temperature 
of  40  to  45  deg.  at  night,  and  50  deg.  by  day,  will  be  sufficient, 
ventilating  freely  and  early  in  bright  weather,  so  as  to  prevent 
moisture  being  condensed  on  the  berries.  Outside  borders  should 
be  covered  with  tarpaulin,  or,  preferably,  lights,  to  throw  off 
heavy  rains;  and  if  the  inside  borders  are  covered  with  dry 
straw  tills  will  prevent  cracking  and  keep  down  moisture  con¬ 
siderably.  The  great  points  are  (1)  ventilation  and  (2)  a  drip- 
proof  roof. — G.  A. 
A  New  Variety  of  Gooseberry. 
Some  time  ago  we  had  from  Mr.  George  Charlton,  nurseryman, 
High  Street,  Morpeth,  a  shoot  of  a  new  Gooseberry  named 
Victoria,  and  the  said  shoot  was  literally  crowded  with 
very  large  fruits ;  indeed  we  counted  twenty-eight,  all  alike  in 
being  massive.  The  berries  are  smooth,  and  become  ruddy  when 
ripe.  In  shape  they  are  perfectly  oval ;  the  skin  is  comparatively 
thick ;  the  flavour  is  piquant,  grateful  to  the  palate.  From  the 
shoot  sent,  we  -would  say  it  was  a  vigorous  grower.  The  variety 
resembles  Whinliam’s  Industry  in  appearance.  We  forwarded 
fruits  to  two  well  known  experts  in  different  parts  of  the  country, 
but  their  opinion  of  its  flavour  is  unfortunately  not  favourable. 
In  this  respect  it  does  not  equal  the  old  Crown  Bob,  Warrington, 
and  several  other  red  skin  varieties,  neither  is  it  superior  to 
Whinham’s  Industry.  Its  thick  skin  renders  it  a  good  market 
variety,  however,  and  being  also  an  abundant  cropper  it  may 
stand  high  in  this  respect. 
The  variety  we  refer  to  is  the  newly  certificated  Brown’s 
Crimson  Drop.  It  -was  shown  before  the  Fruit  Committee  on 
October  15.  From  a  reliable  source  we  obtain  the  information 
that  it  is  a  sport  from  Coe’s  Golden  Drop,  which  it  resembles  in 
all  respects  except  the  colour,  which  is  a  dull  purplish  crimson. 
The  variety  is  good  certainly,  but  the  dull  colour  is  objected  to 
by  some  critics.  It  received  an  Award  of  Merit. 
Rhus  Cotinus. 
Mr.  Engleheart  sho-wed  a  mass  of  the  abortive  hairy  flower  stalks 
of  the  “  wig  tree,”  Rhus  Cotinus,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Scientific 
Committee  on  October  29th.  He  had  found  it  to  be  extremely 
useful  for  covering  Narcissus  seedlings.  It  keeps  down  mossy 
growths ;  it  breaks  frost,  and  keeps  insects  off ;  if  it  rain,  worms 
are  driven  out  by  it.  As  some  other  species  of  Rhus  secrete  poisons, 
it  was  suggested  that  there  might  be  something  of  this  nature 
present.  The  tree  had  borne  such  large  quantities  this  year,  that  he 
was  able  to  cover  600  boxes,  8  by  8  inches  in  size,  with  a  layer  half 
an  inch  thick,  which  was  sufficient  to  keep  out  the  frost,  whereas 
moss  1  inch  in  thickness  does  not  do  so. 
A  White  Winter-flowering  Begonia. 
A  correspondent  near  York,  who  writes  under  the  nom  de 
plume  of  “  Henri,”  sends  a  very  robust  Begonia,  partaking  of  the 
Glorie  de  Lorraine  and  semperflorens  types,  having  fleshy  leaves, 
smooth  on  the  surface,  and  shining  green.  The  flowers  are  white 
with  yellow  anthers,  and  are  borne  on  graceful  terminal  trusses. 
“  Henri,”  in  his  letter,  says  :  “  It  is  a  seedling  of  my  own  raising, 
and  is  beautiful  as  a  pot  plant  for  decorative  purposes.  Its  habit 
is  very  dwarf  and  compact,  and  its  trusses  of  flowers  are  borne 
very  freely.”  That  we  corroborate-,  and  add  that  we  think  the 
variety  is  both  useful  and  worthy  of  care.  At  the  same  time, 
after  seeing  the  new  whitish  pink  sport  from  “  Gloire,”  and 
named  Turnford  Hall,  we  cannot  say  “  Henri’s  ”  is  the  best  of 
the  winter  Begonias. 
The  Partridge  Berry. 
For  a  group  in  a  moist  place  on  the  rockery,  an  undergrowth 
to  a  Rhododendron  bed,  or  a  large  mass  in  a  semi-wild  state  in  a 
garden  where  peat-loving  plants  thrive,  the  above  plant,  or,  giving 
it  its  correct  name,  Gaultheria  procumbens,  makes  an  excellent 
subject.  Naturally  of  dwarf  stature,  when  growing  luxuriantly 
it  rarely  exceeds  6in  in  height,  but  makes  wide  carpet-like  masses 
with  small  oval  leaves.  Towards  autumn  many  of  the  leaves 
assume  a  bronzy  hue,  which  greatly  adds  to  their  appearance. 
Numerous  flowers  are  borne  in  early  summer,  which  are  white 
and  pendulous.  In  autumn  the  place  of  the  flowers  is  taken  by 
small,  bright  red  fruits,  which  last  in  perfection  for  several 
months,  being  particularly  conspicuous  in  early  winter  after  a 
light  fall  of  snow.  It  is  a  North  American  plant,  and  may  be 
increased  by  division.  Though  preferring  peaty  soil,  it  sometimes 
does  well  in  sandy  loam  to  which  leaf  mould  has  been 
added. — K.  D. 
Almonds. 
The  Amygdalis,  or  Almond,  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  early 
hardy  flowering  trees.  It  is  of  a  deciduous  character,  but  pushes 
forth  into  bloom  earlier  than  any  other  hardy  tree.  The  flowers 
are  produced  before  the  leaves,  hence  when  in  flower  the  spectacle 
of  the  dense  mass  of  white,  rose,  and  red  blooms  is 
gorgeous  in  the  extreme.  Tall  standard  trees,  with  a 
good  head  of  branches  rising  above  a  clear,  straight 
stem,  might  be  an  attractive  feature  in  most  shrubberies  where 
a  selection  of  evergreen  and  deciduous  shrubs  are  grown.  Not 
only  are  the  high  standard  trees  effective  in  the  background  of 
a  shrubbery  and  other  positions  where  the  spacious  heads  may 
have  room  for  their  full  development,  but  the  low  or  dwarf 
standards  are  useful  for  intermixing  and  for  positions  towards 
the  front. 
This  is  a  good  time  to  plant  the  trees.  They  will  grow  and 
flower  in  any  soil,  but  fruit  best  in  a  good,  deep  calcareous  loam, 
as,  like  all  stone  fruits,  they  delight  in  lime  and  mineral  matter. 
Small  trees  grown  in  pots  are  very  effective  in  a  cool  house 
when  in  flower.  The  pruning  of  the  trees  is  not  an  elaborate 
affair.  They  simply  require  the  branches  regulating,  cutting  out 
any  crooked,  exhausted,  or  crowded  branches.  Trees  for  pots 
may  be  procured  and  potted  now. — E. 
