April  6,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
283 
consumed  in  New  South  Wales,  the  duty  on  sugar  prohibiting  much 
export. 
Allowin?  for  evaporation  of  the  water  in  the  fruit,  it  is  computed  that 
one  ton  of  Blackberries  will  turn  out  about  IJ  ton  of  jam,  or  4000  1-lb 
tins.  The  greatest  demand  for  Blackberry  jam  appears  to  be  in  the 
Newcastle  district — the  Australian  “  black  country.”  and  chief  source  of 
coal  supply  in  the  southern  hemisphere. — J.  Plummer,  Sydney,  N.S.  W. 
BUD  DROPPING  IN  PEACHES. 
Me.  H.  Markham  on  page  252,  in  a  note  respecting  the  best 
Peaches,  refers  incidentally  to  bud  dropping.  He  says  he  is  at  a  loss 
to  know  the  real  cause  of  bud  dropping.  So  are  most  of  us,  I  presume, 
or  we  would  take  measures  to  prevent  it.  In  my  own  case  a  tine  tree 
of  Alexander,  which  I  always  rely  on  to  produce  fruit  in  May  for  a 
special  purpose,  has  gene  altogether  wrong  this  year,  the  bud  dropping 
occurring  to  such  an  extent  that  I  have  onlj'  half  a  crop.  In  this 
individual  case  I  am  inclined  to  put  it  down  to  over-ripening  of  the  wood, 
and  shall  take  the  precaution  this  year  of  shading  the  tree. 
I  am  positive  that  many  cases  of  bud  dropping  may  be  traced  directly 
to  want  of  water  in  late  autumn  and  winter  ;  and,  again,  the  verj'  early 
varieties,  such  as  that  mentioned  above,  when  grown  alongside  later  .sorts 
for  a  succession,  suffer  from  over-ripening  of  the  wood.  I  have  been 
so  successful  with  these  precocious  kinds  in  cool  houses  that  I  was  led  to 
plant  Alexander  in  an  early  house,  and  now  I  wish  I  had  used  Hale’s 
Early  in  place  of  it.  Early  Grosse  Mignonne  is  one  of  the  most  reliable 
Peaches  in  cultivation,  but  we  need  something  to  come  in  just  before  it, 
and  Hale’s  Early,  not  being  so  addicted  to  bud  dropping,  fills  the  brief 
space,  though  not  so  early  as  Alexander. 
And  though  I  mention  it  almost  in  fear  and  trembling,  the  soda  and 
potash  insecticide  now  being  used  so  freely  on  all  hands  is  in  some  cases 
responsible  for  mischief  in  this  direction.  I  have  seen  trees  this  season 
badly  injured  by  its  use,  but  I  hasten  to  say  that  in  my  opinion  the 
mixture  was  too  strong.  Peaches  and  Nectarines  are  more  susceptible  to 
injury  from  caustic  applications  than  trees  with  a  thicker  bark,  and  when 
used,  especially  under  glass,  great  care  is  necessary. 
Por  dressing  to  be  essential  indeed  shows  that  the  culture  of  the 
trees  has  been  neglected,  for  who  with  the  facilities  for  fumigation,  and 
the  ease  with  which  the  trees  will  be  kept  in  good  condition,  can  excuse 
themselves  for  allowing  them  to  get  so  overrun  wdth  insects  that  these 
remedies  are  needed  ? 
And  after  this  digression  I  must  say  I  am  entirely  at  one  with  your 
correspondent  as  to  the  injury  being  done  before  the  trees  are  started,  nut 
I  do  not  look  for  a  specific  cause.  All  errors  of  culture  lead  up  to  it,  and 
a  general  healthy  state  of  the  trees  is  undoubtedly  a  preventive.  Again, 
our  system  of  disbudding  and  forcing  the  trees,  to  make  few  long  shoots 
instead  of  a  number  of  short  ones,  though  needful,  is  a  step  in  the  wrong 
direction,  but  of  this  more  anon. — H.  E.  Eichaeds,  Coldham  Hall, 
A  WORD  FOR  GODETIAS. 
It  is  rather  curious  that  we  do  not  always  appreciate  the  beauty  of 
a  family  of  plants  fully  until  someone  calls  our  attention  to  it.  For  years 
Godetias  had  been  more  or  less  under  my  notice,  but  only  in  a  common¬ 
place  sort  of  way.  It  is  true  they  had  always  been  included  in  the  seed 
order  for  annuals,  and  had  been  sown  and  grown  as  a  matter  of  course  ; 
but  beyond  that  they  did  not  come  in  for  any  special  share  of  attention.  I 
have  no  doubt  there  are  hundreds  who  grow  this  showy  and  useful  annual 
on  lines  something  similar.  A  packet  of  seeds  is  obtained  and  sown  with 
the  rest  of  the  annuals,  and  in  course  of  time  the  flowers  appear.  They 
are  admired  in  a  way  with  the  rest  of  the  garden’s  common  flowers,  and 
go  again  without  having  impressed  the  grower  how  really  charming  they 
are,  and  to  the  many  uses  they  might  be  put. 
Fortunately  there  are  those  who  have  appreciated  the  beauty  of  the 
Godetia,  with  the  result  that  many  pleasing  varieties  have  been  intro¬ 
duced.  They  have  their  champions  too  in  the  shape  of  growers  as  well 
as  hybridisers,  and  in  my  notebook  I  find  a  jotting  about  Godetias,  made 
last  summer  in  the  garden  of  a  flower  lover,  who  takes  particular 
interest  in  these  charming  annuals.  As  the  time  is  at  hand  when  gardeners 
and  amateurs  are  making  plans  and  preparations  for  summer  adornment, 
perhaps  a  few  notes  on  the  Godetia,  when  grown  in  variety,  may  not  be 
unacceptable. 
Though  conversant  with  the  plant  in  an  everyday  sense,  I  had  never 
seen  them  present  such  a  mass  of  bloom  as  in  the  garden  referred  to,  and 
for  the  moment  I  was  tempted  to  ask  what  they  were.  Closer  observation, 
however,  proved  them  to  be  the  old-fashioned  Godetias,  but  grown  in  separate 
varieties,  by  which  method  each  particular  colour  and  character  could  be 
noted.  The  first  to  attract  notice  was  Lady  Albemarle,  and  perhaps 
amongst  the  named  sorts  this  is  the  best  known.  Its  habit  is  rather  dwarf, 
and  its  masses  of  crimson  flowers  are  very  attractive.  Another  form  of 
the  same  variety  may  be  obtained,  called  Lady  Albemarle  compacta,  on 
account  of  its  habit  being  closer  and  more  compact.  Another  pleasing 
variety  in  the  collection  was  Duchess  of  Albany,  which  grows  pyramidal 
in  form,  and  produces  an  abundance  of  soft  white  flowers.  Godetia  gloriosa 
appears  to  be  the  darkest  flowered  of  the  family.  Its  habit  is  close  and 
compact,  and  its  flowers  a  deep  rich  red.  G.  grandiflora  rosea  flore-pleno 
is  a  double-flowered  variety,  with  blooms  of  a  delicate  pink  shade.  One 
of  the  most  effective  varieties  in  the  garden  was  White  Pearl.  The 
flowers  are  satiny  white,  and  the  dwarf,  sturdy  habit  of  the  plant  makes  it 
suitable  for  growing  with  other  low-growing  plants  in  beds.  Another  of 
the  same  class,  but  dwarfer  still,  is  Bijou,  which  also  produces  white 
flowers,  and  is  of  a  very  bushy  habit. 
The  varietie,s  named  do  not  include  all  that  are  represented  in  the 
Godetia  family,  but  they  are  sufficient  to  obtain  an  interesting  collection 
of  these  showy  flowers.  Nothing  is  more  effective  in  the  summer  than 
masses  of  showy  annuals,  and  many  a  bare  spot  might  be  brightened  by  the 
outlay  of  a  few  pence  and  a  little  labour.  Formal  ways  of  furnishing  beds 
and  borders  have  few  advocates  nowadays,  ahd  greater  value  is,  in  con¬ 
sequence,  set  on  plants  of  floriferous  and  free-growing  habit.  What  more 
accommodating  annual  could  be  desired  for  the  purpose  than  varieties  of 
the  well-known  Godetia  I — H.  H. 
NOTES  ON  ALPINE  FLOWERS. 
(^Continued  from  page  221.) 
Campanula  planiflora. 
Although  this  pretty  little  Bellflower  does  not  appear  in  the  Kew 
“  Hand-list  of  Herbaceous  Plants,”  it  is,  or  at  least  was,  grown  in  the 
Eoyal  Gardens,  as  I  recollect  seeing  a  plant  in  bloom  in  the  Alpine 
house  there.  Its  garden  name  is  more  usually  C.  nitida,  but  planiflora 
is  that  approved  of  by  botanists  at  the  present  time.  As  a  rock-garden 
plant  it  stands  in  the  front  rank  ;  although  in  some  gardens  it  does  not 
flower  so  satisfactorily  as  the  grower  would  like.  Why  this  is  so  is 
somewhat  mysterious.  Some  writers  tell  us  that  it  requires  a  stiff,  rather 
strong  soil,  but,  as  the  writer  has  amply  proved,  it  flowers  as  freely  as 
can  be  desired  on  a  light  one.  The  failure  to  flower  must  arise  from  some 
obscure  cause. 
There  ought  to  be  in  cultivation  four  varieties  of  this  Campanula. 
The  one  usually  seen  is  the  single  white,  but  there  are  also  single  blue 
and  double  blue  forms.  There  was,  and  it  is  likely  that  there  is  still, 
a  double  white  form,  but  I  have  not  seen  it  in  any  garden,  nor  can  I  And 
it  in  any  catalogue.  C.  planiflora  forms  a  pretty  plant,  with  somewhat 
stiff  and  rigid  habit.  The  long  and  rather  narrow  leaves  are  of  a  shining 
green,  as  if  covered  with  varnish,  and  the  flat,  open  flowers  are  produced 
several  on  a  stiff  stem  about  6  inches  high.  The  writer  has  not  grown 
it  from  seed,  but  it  is  easily  increased  by  division  in  spring  or  autumn. 
It  was  introduced  from  North  America  in  1731.  It  usually  flowers  about 
July.  Maund’s  “  Botanic  Garden ’’gives  en  illustration,  but  it  fails  to 
do  justice  to  this  little  plant.  It  ought  to  have  a  sunny  place  on  the 
rockery. 
SiLENE  MAEITIMA  PL.-PL. 
In  the  same  volume  as  that  in  which  Campanula  nitida  is  shown  in 
Maund’s  work  is  a  drawing  of  Silene  maritima.  One  is  rather  surprised 
that  ihe  author  did  not  figure  the  double  form  which  is  referred  to  in  the 
letterpress  that  accompanies  the  plate.  The  single  form  of  the  Sea 
Catchfly  is  very  plentiful  on  some  of  our  coasts,  and  near  where  the 
present  writer  lives  it  grows  in  thousands.  Under  the  name  of  S.  alpina, 
practically  the  same  plant,  it  is  to  be  found  on  some  of  our  British 
mountains.  The  double  form  is  one  of  our  best  rock  plants,  and  is 
generally  a  favourite  when  seen  hanging  over  a  ledge  of  rockwork  with 
its  glaucous  leaves  and  its  perfectly  double  flowers,  which  remind  one  of 
a  double  white  Fink.  The  double  Sea  Catchfly  is  quite  hardy,  and  is 
increased  by  means  of  cuttings  taken  in  spring.  It  likes  a  soil  which 
is  rather  poor,  and  a  sunny  position,  where  it  will  flower  profusely  from 
June  onwards. 
RiBES  ALPINUM  AUREUM, 
By  way  of  variety  one  can  introduce  with  advantage  a  short  reference 
to  this  little  golden-leaved  Eibes,  which  may  sometimes  be  used  profitably 
in  rockwork  of  good  size.  Against  a  block  of  dark  stone,  or  between 
two  rocks  of  the  same  colour,  the  yellow  leaves  of  the  shrub  contrast 
well,  and  it  may  thus  relieve  what  would  otherwise  be  a  gloomy  corner. 
It  grows  about  3  feet  high,  and  has  yellowish  flowers,  followed  by  insipid 
scarlet  fruit,  from  whose  want  of  flavour  it  receives  the  name  of  “  Taste¬ 
less  Mountain  Currant.”  The  yellow-leaved  variety  under  notice  does 
not  flower  so  freely  as  the  type,  but  that  is  of  little  consequence,  as  its 
value  depends  upon  the  colour  of  its  leaves.  It  may  be  grown  in  any 
soil. 
Phuopsis  stylosa. 
Such  is  the  now  recognised  name  of  a  flower  better  known  as 
Crucianella  stylosa.  It  is  one  of  those  plants  whose  good  and  evil 
qualities  may  be  said  to  be  pretty  equally  balanced — if,  indeed,  we  do 
not  say  that  its  defects  are  rather  greater  than  its  merits.  The  faults 
may  be  summed  up  as  two.  1st,  The  peculiar  odour  it  gives  off  after 
rain,  or  in  the  evening.  (It  is  like  that  of  some  of  the  Acacias,  but  can 
be  discerned  for  some  distance  off  when  the  plant  is  wet).  2,  The 
Phuopsis  is  of  rather  creeping  habit,  and  is  prone  to  spread  a  little  too 
rapidly  for  the  welfare  of  other  and  choicer  plants.  For  the  first  of  these 
faults  there  is  no  remedy  ;  for  the  second  a  timely  warning  may  lead  to 
the  plant  being  placed  where  it  cannot  do  any  harm. 
Against  these  disadvantages  Phuopsis  stylosa  has  some  good  qualities. 
It  is  hardy,  and  easily  grown  in  almost  any  soil  ;  it  flow'ers  very  freely 
for  a  long  time  ;  its  flowers  are  pretty,  and  uncommon  looking  ;  and  it 
looks  well  hanging  over  a  stone.  The  blooms  are  arranged  in  a  round 
head,  each  flower  having  projecting  stamens,  which  add  considerably  to 
the  beauty  and  character  of  the  flowers.  The  blooms  are  pink,  and  there 
is  also  a  brighter  coloured  variety,  known  as  P.  stylosa  splendens. 
Phuopsis  stylosa  is  readily  raised  from  seed,  but  it  increases  so  rapidly 
at  the  root  that  division  is  the  method  usually  adopted.  It  comes  from 
the  Caucasus. — Alpinus. 
(To  be  continued.) 
