154 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  23,  1899. 
NEW  DAHLIAS  OF  1898. 
New  Dahlias,  like  new  Chrysanthemums,  continue  to  bo  distributed 
every  year,  and  the  tendency  is  mainly  towards  the  Cactus  section,  and 
many  of  the  new  varieties  sent  out  in  1898  are  of  exceptional  merit.  One 
very  noticeable  fact  is  the  decline  of  the  decorative  Dahlia  ;  few  new  ones 
are  sent  out,  and  only  a  minimum  of  these  are  bought,  although  some  are 
beautiful  and  most  useful  for  cut  flowers.  I  raised  some  thousands  of 
seedlings  this  year,  and  it  went  against  the  grain  to  throw  away  so  many 
that  ten  years  ago  would  have  meant  a  small  fortune.  Alany  of  the  new 
Cactus  sorts  are  really  decorative  in  habit,  having  fine  long  stiff  stems 
that  carry  the  flowers  well  above  the  foliage. 
We  are  still  waiting  for  a  pure  white  true  Cactus  Dahlia,  and  a  white 
Glare  of  the  Garden.  In  Miss  Webster  I  thought  we  had  the  former,  and 
some  of  the  flowers  I  have  had  perfectly  white  and  fine  form  ;  still  it  is 
Clot  the  thing,  and  Keynes’  White  is  not  a  white  but  a  cream,  and 
Sometimes  not  of  first-rate  form,  besides  often  coming  semi-double,  like 
Mrs.  Peart.  The  best  of  the  Cactus  of  last  year,  so  far  as  I  have  tried  them, 
are  given  below  : — 
Night. — Very  dark  maroon,  good  shape,  free  flowering,  perfect  habit, 
about  4  feet  high. 
KSynes'  White.— Oi  fine  form  and  habit,  4  feet  high,  and  very  fiee  ; 
the  best  approach  to  a  true  white  Cactus  Dshlia  to  date, 
Britannit,—A  charming  variety  with  long  twisted  petals  of  a  salmon 
pink  shade,  free,  long  stiff  stems  ;  sure  to  be  a  favourite. 
Arachne. — A  distinct  break,  reminding  one  of  the  old  IMaid  of  Kent, 
or  W.  T,  Abery.  Each  petal  is  white  with  a  crimson  edge,  long  pendulous 
stems  :  delightful  for  cut  flowers,  height  4  feet. 
Alfred  Vasey  is  one  of  the  best,  having  long  stems,  and  the  flowers 
carried  above  the  leaves  ;  a  fine  plant  for  garden  decoration  ;  the  flowers 
are  of  medium  size  and  most  usetul  for  cutting  ;  the  colour  is  bronzy  pink, 
height  3  feet. 
Capstan  is  very  similar  to  the  above  in  habit  and  style  of  flower ; 
colour  a  soft  brick  red  ;  a  fine  decorative  Cactus  variety,  3  feet  high. 
Mrs.  John  Goddard.— Oao  of  the  very  best  ;  a  glowing  crimson- scarlet 
flower  of  fine  shape,  first  rate  for  any  purpose  ;  4  feet  high. 
Mary  Service. — A  novel  colour  of  salmon  pink  and  j  ellow,  will  be  a 
great  favourite  ;  fine  habit  ;  3  feet  high. 
Falka. — A  good  flower  of  undecided  colour,  sometimes  rosy  crimson, 
but  pales  quickly  with  age  ;  free  bloomer,  and  dwarf  habit. 
E.  J.  Deal. — A  magnificent  colour,  bright  scarlet,  but  shy  bloomer 
and  very  tall,  nearly  6  feet. 
Laverstock  Beauty. — Colour  vermilion  ;  a  bright  useful  flower.  The 
plant  has  a  good  habit,  but  is  not  free  flowering  ;  stiff  stems  ;  4  feet  high. 
Casi!d.i.-—i\.  delightful  shade  of  sulphur  yellow,  tinted  with  pink  on 
the  older  petals  ;  very  free,  but  has  net  long  flower  stems,  and  has  a 
tendency  to  be  serai-double. 
Daffudil. — Sent  out  with  a  flourish  to  beat  that  best  of  all  Cactus 
Dahlias,  Lady  Penzance  ;  but  has  not  sustained  its  reputation.  The 
blooms  are  fine,  but  have  short  stems. 
Ethel. — L'ghter  in  colour  than  the  preceding,  but  is  a  splendid  shaped 
flower,  but  not  very  free  ;  $  feet  high. 
Octopus.  — A  monstrous  fl  wer,  sometimes  pure  white,  often  suffused 
with  lilac  ;  free  flowering,  and  will  be  a  favourite  with  some  people. 
Tillie. — A  dwarf  variety,  growing  2^  feet  high  ;  salmon,  suffused  with 
rose  ;  a  nice  colour,  but  not  a  very  good  Cactus  flower,  although  certifi¬ 
cated  by  the  National  Dahlia  Society', 
Standard  Bearer. — Fiery  scarlet ;  good  and  free  flowering,  first-rate 
habit ;  3  feet  high. 
Buhy.—As  its  name  suggests  is  ruby  red  ;  a  free  flowering  sort  with 
stout  stems,  good  habit  ;  4  feet  high. 
Oaklands. — Salmon  rose  ;  True  Friend,  dark  crimson  ;  W.  J.  Frost, 
rich  crimson  ;  and  Eileen  Palliser,  yellow,  are  fairly  good  ;  so  also  are 
King  of  8iam,  dark  ;  Mrs.  Scrase  Dickens,  j'ellow  ;  Profusion  ;  and 
many  others  ;  but  the  best  are  those  I  have  described.  These  were  seen 
in  the  South  and  in  the  North  under  widely  different  conditions,  and 
received  a  good  test. 
Not  so  much  attention  is  devoted  to  .the  raising  of  Show  and  Fancy 
Dahlias  now,  as  the  Cactus  sorts  take  all  the  raiser’s  attention.  Yet  the 
doable  type  will  give  a  far  better  effect  in  a  garden  than  all  the  quaint 
Cactus-shaped  sorts.  Last  autumn  I  saw  an  acre  of  Cactus  varieties 
growing  alongside  of  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  the  double  type.  On  the 
doubles  there  were  thousands  more  blooms  than  on  four  times  the  quantity 
of  plants  of  the  Cactus. 
Harbinger. — A  lovely  shade  of  peach,  over  the  medium  size,  and  of 
splendid  form,  was  raised  by  that  veteran  florist,  Mr.  G.  P.  Hams  of 
Orpington,  and  is  one  of  his  best  varieties. 
Muriel  Hobbs. — Fine  yellow  ,  of  splendid  petal  and  outline  ;  a  first  class 
variety. 
J.  R.  Tranter. — A  fine  terra-cotta  in  colour,  is  also  excellent. 
Nansen. — A  Fancy  variety,  orange  scarlet  tipped  with  gold  ;  a  neat 
shaped  flower. 
^  Some  delightful  single  Dahlias  continue  to  be  sent  out.  but  the  demand 
is  ’decreasing  yearly,  which  is  unfortunate,  as  plants  of  single  Dahlias 
make  delightful  objects  in  the  garden,  even  if  the  flowers  are  not  so  much 
used  for  cutting.  Duchess  of  Marlborough,  white  edged  with  crimson  ; 
Colton  Beauty,  white  margined  with  yellow  ;  Mrs.  Phillip  Hoare,  rich 
velvet  maroon  ;  and  Janet  Braes,  magenta  and  crimson,  were  some  of  the 
best  of  last  season’s  varieties.  , 
Pompon  Dahlias  still  retain  their  popularity.  The  small  flowers  lend 
themselves  so  readily  for  cut  flowers  that  the  Cactus  varieties  do  not  have 
the  same  effect  on  them  as  on  the  other  classes. 
Agate. — Sulphur  with  a  white  edge  ;  is  a  neat  little  flower,  and  grows 
4  feet  high. 
Nellie  Bromhead. — A  beautiful  mauve  ;  is  one  of  the  prettiest  of  Pompons^ 
and  will  be  sure  to  stay  for  years  ;  dwarf  habit  and  free.  ' 
Hypatia. — A  nice  flower  ;  amber,  and  yellow  edge  ;  very  distinct,  and 
of  good  shape  ;  3  feet  high. 
Zoe. — Yellow,  tipped  with  white  ;  is  a  pretty  Fancy  ;  3  feet  high. 
Several  good  single  Cactus  were  sent  out.  but  all  by  one  firm,  who- 
make  a  speciality  of  this  beautiful  section.  I  hope  to  devote  a  few  lines 
to  all  the  varieties  in  this  class  shortly. — Georgina. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN.  . 
Forcing  Lily  of  the  Valley. 
No  flowers  are  more  usetul  during  the  winter  months  than  the  Lily  of 
the  Valley  from  forced  crowns  or  clumps.  Single  crowns  are  greatly  to 
bo  preferred  to  imported  clumps,  for  when  the  latter  are  employed  few 
dowers  are  obtained,  and  those  produced  are  inferior  in  quality.  Single 
crowns  when  well  grown  provide  splendid  spikes  of  blooms  equally  all 
over  the  pot,  which  easily  repay  the  little  extra  cost  at  the  outset. 
About  fifteen  good  crowns  can  be  placed  at  equal  distances  apart  in  a 
.“i-inch  pot,  atter  removing  the  roots  to  within  2  or  3  inches  of  the 
bud,  and  any  soil  may  be  emplo5ed,  as  few  roots  are  made,  but  it  must 
be  made  firm  and  the  crowns  kept  above  the  soil.  Place  the  pots  in 
a  cold  frame  and  cover  with  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  or  moss  to  swell  the 
crowns,  taking  care  not  to  overwater,  as  that  causes  decay.  From 
this  position  bring  them  gradually  into  heat,  and  keep  the  moss  over 
them  till  the  crowns  burst.  The  pots  can  then  be  plunged  in  bottom 
heat  of  about  90°.  The  plants  may  be  flowered  in  two  or  three  weeks, 
but  when  thus  hastened  very  little  foliage  may  be  produced.  It  is  better 
to  have  the  pots  some  distance  from  the  glass,  as  if  too  close  the  spikes 
are  short  and  stump}'. — F.  SiDWELL. 
Gladiolus  The  Bride. 
The  blooms  of  Gladiolus  The  Bride  are  very  useful  where  decorating, 
bouquet  and  wreath  making  are  done  largely,  especially  if  they  are 
flowered  early  ;  therefore  I  will  write  a  few  notes  as  regards  their  culture. 
The  bulbs  may  either  be  grown  in  the  open  or  in  pots.  For  early  flowers 
pot  the  bulbs  at  the  end  of  September  in  6-inch  clean,  well-drained  pots, 
allowing  room  for  watering,  the  compost  consisting  of  two  parts  loam, 
one  part  sweet  horse  droppings  and  leaf  soil,  with  a  good  sprinkling  of 
sand.  After  the  bulbs  are  potted  plunge  the  pots  in  frames,  using  fine 
ashes  for  that  purpose. 
When  root  action  has  commenced,  a  few  pots  may  be  taken  in,  if 
required  early,  affording  them  a  temperature  of  65“  to  70°  at  night,  70°  to  75° 
by  day  ;  be  sparing  with  water  at  this  stage,  only  applying  when  it  is 
necessary.  When  the  plants  are  showing  their  flDwer  spikes,  it  will  be 
found  necessary  to  place  a  few  stakes  around  the  pots,  and  also  pieces  of 
raffia  to  support  them,  and  to  remove  them  to  a  cooler  house  with  a  night 
temperature  of  58°.  At  this  stage  a  little  weak  liquid  manure  will  be 
beneficial  to  them,  increasing  its  strength  gradually.  Thomson’s  Vine 
manure  mixed  with  clear  water  will  be  found  a  good  stimulant,  using  a 
small  handful  to  2  gallons  of  water.  To  maintain  a  succession  of  flowers, 
take  in  the  pots  at  intervals,  treating  as  before  stated. 
Turning  to  the  outdoor  culture,  the  plants  can  be  grown  either  in  beds 
or  patches.  In  the  latter  case  they  make  a  grand  effect  if  planted  near 
the  front  of  herbaceous  borders.  If  beds  are  required  the  rows  should  be 
a  foot  apart,  and  tbe  bulbs  2  inches  or  3  inches  in  depth.  Early  in  March 
is  a  very  suitable  time  for  planting,  and  in  doing  so,  if  the  soil  is  rather 
poor,  apply  some  well  decayed  manure  to  it.  When  the  plants  appear 
above  the  surface,  and  the  rows  are  distinctly  seen,  hoe  lightly  between 
them,  to  destroy  any  weeds,  and  also  to  loosen  the  surface  soil.  If  the 
weather  becomes  hot  and  dry  watering  should  be  attended  to,  after  which 
give  a  light  mulching  of  Mushroom  bed  refuse,  as  by  so  doing  the  bed. 
will  be  kept  moist  lor  a  longer  period. — P.  R. 
IXORAS. 
Few  plants  requiring  stove  temperature  are  more  valuable  both  for 
exhibition  or  decorative  purposes  than  Ixoras.  Large  specimens  with 
rich  deep  green  foliage  and  noble  heads  of  flower  have  an  imposing  effect, 
while  smaller  plants,  with  from  one  to  half  a  dozen  trusses,  can  scarcely 
be  excelled  during  their  flowering  period. 
Ixoras  can  be  propagated  by  cuttings  formed  of  short-jointed  half 
ripened  shoots,  inserted  firmly  in  thumb  pots  in  a  compost  of  peat,  leaf 
soil,  a  little  fibrous  loam,  with  a  liberal  portion  of  sharp  silver  sand.  The 
pots  must  be  plunged  in  bottom  heat  in  a  stove  or  propagating  pit,  and  in 
a  few  days  roots  will  be  emitted.  When  these  reach  the  sides  of  the  pots 
transfer  them  into  a  larger  size,  and  eventually  into  5-inch  pots,  using  the 
same  compost  as  before.  Healthy  medium  sized  plants  in  these  pots, 
carrying  half  a  dozen  flower  trusses,  are  very  valuable  for  many  purposes 
of  decoration.  Future  shifts  must  be  at  the  grower’s  discretion,  according 
to  the  sizes  of  plants  required  ;  but  too  much  soil  is  never  advisable,  as  it 
may  become  sour  and  unhealthy  plants  be  the  result. 
Liquid  manure  may  be  afforded  occasionally  when  well  established.  Too 
much  water  must  not  be  given  to  the  plants  in  winter  time.  During  the 
