JOURNAL  ur  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  18,  1903. 
634 
sponsible  for  many  of  the  tliin-leaved,  light-coloured,  and 
generally  unsatisfactory  C'yeas  plants  that  have  been  retailed 
Throughout  the  country  during  the  past  few  years.  On  the 
contrary,  when  only  moderate  heat  is  given,  aboiTt  70deg  at  night, 
for  example,  the  tops  do  not  come  out  so  quickly,  but  the  roots 
gi’t  a  start  at  the  same  time,  and  in  consequence  the  foliage  has 
more  substance  and  develops  perfectly.  The  foliage  of  a  good 
('yeas  revohita  is  stiff,  glossy,  and  a  very  dark  green,  and  it  is 
unwise  to  allow  one  to  be  sold  until  it  is  in  perfect  condition, 
for  those  soft  and  um'stablished  plants  that  one  often  sees  arc 
hut  a  snare  and  delusion  to  the  purchaser. — W.  H.  Taplin. 
- - 
Gladiolus  Gandawnsis  Hybrids. 
In  tlie  earlier  days,  though  Mr,  Kelway  had  many  acres  of  these 
plants,  one  very  seldom  met  with  them  in  either  public  or  private 
gardens.  I  once  met  a  leading  nursei’yman  at  one  of  the  London 
exhibitions,  and  he  was  standing  opposite  a  collection  of  them,  and  I 
said  to  him  as  he  was  admiring  them,  Why  do  you  not  go  in  for 
them?”  “Well,”  he  said,  “I  have  spent  nearly  £50  on  them,  and 
what  I  have  left  now  are  only  a  few  miserable  little  bulbs,”  I  have 
myself  growm  them  for  many  years,  during  which  time  I  have  seen 
many  amateurs  trying  their  hand  at  them,  and  giving  them  up  in 
despair.  The  fact  is,  they  have  a  very  unpleasant  way  of  decaying,  a 
matter  on  Avhieh  1  have  had  many  a  controversy  with  Mr,  Kelway ;  he 
Avould  not  allow  it  was  disease,  although  some  micologist  to  Avhom  I 
had  exhibited  some  bulbs  distinctly  said  that  it  Avas  so.  Not  only  did 
many  of  the  bulbs  perish  after  they  had  bloomed,  but  soon  after  the 
I’oots  had  been  stored  and  put  out  of  the  reach  of  frost,  a  species  of 
dry  rot  laid  hold  of  them,  and  many  had  to  be  throAvn  aAvay. 
It  is  better  that  the  bed  in  Avhich  they  are  groAvn  should  be 
prepared  in  the  autumn,  or  they  should  be  planted  Avhere  some 
summer  crop  of  A’egetables  has  been  already  groAvn,  for  the  bulbs 
cannot  bear  contact  Avith  fresh  manure.  I  have  ahvays  groAvn  mine 
in  beds  about  4ft  Avide,  Avhich  Avill  alloAV  of  five  roAvs  of  bulbs.  I 
plant  them  about  9in  apart  in  the  roAvs,  and  from  4in  to  5in  deep ; 
some  groAvers  alloAV  more  space  for  them,  but  I  do  not  think  this  is 
necessary,  for  the  fresh  roots  go  doAvn  very  straight  from  the  bulbs, 
and  so  get  sufficient  nourishment.  Each  plant  shoAild  be  provided 
Avith  a  separate  stake  at  the  present  time,  before  they  come  into 
floAver.  1  Avill  noAv  give  the  names  of  some  vai’ieties  Avhieh  are 
moderate  in  price  and  excellent  in  quality. 
Acis. — Salmon  i-ed,  deep  purple  stripe,  Avith  Avhite  lines  ;  distinct 
and  good. 
Addison. — Dark  amaranth,  Avhite  stripe ;  distinct. 
A  fricaine. — Chocolate  broAvn,  scarlet  flushes,  and  Avhite  blotches ; 
novel. 
Archdiichesse  Marie  Christine. — White,  tinted  and  flaked  purple; 
large,  distinct,  and  good. 
Ariel. — Light  rosy  salmon  purple  ;  centre  good. 
Atlas. — Pale  porcelain,  lightly  tinted  and  striped  violet ;  beautiful 
spike. 
Baroness  Biirdett  Coutts. — Lilac,  tinged  rose  and  purple ;  large 
and  magnificent  floAver  and  spike. 
Bicolor. — Top  petals  bright  salmon  rose,  lower  divisions  Avhite 
edged  rose  ;  very  distinct  and  early. 
Cameleon. — Slaty  lilac,  striped  Avhite, pale  orange  blotch;  beautiful 
compact  spike ;  very  novel  and  fine. 
Caprice. — Pale  ground,  flushed  purple  carmine,  Avhite  bands. 
Carnation. — Pale  flesh,  suffused  and  tinted  carmine;  fine. 
Conquerant. — Dark  purplish  caianine,  Avith  clear  Avhite  blotch  and 
bands  ;  beautiful  spike. 
Crejnisctile. — Pale  porcelain,  tinted  lilac;  large  and  fine. 
Da liZrt.— Bright  rose,  blotched  and  striped  Avhite  ;  good  spike. 
Dr,  BailUj, — Bright  scarlet,  blotched  carmine  on  Avhite  ground  ; 
very  fine. 
Bnchantcresse. — Pale  rosy  Avhite,  lightly  striped  violet;  extra  large, 
fine  shaped  floAver. 
Fen  Follet. — Pale  yelloAv,  richly  suffused  and  striped  carmine. 
Flamboyant. — Bright  scarlet  crimson  ;  large  and  fine. 
Cterbe  de  Fen. — Bright  scarlet,  large  creamy  Avhite  blotch. 
Grand  Rouge. — Scarlet  crimson  ;  grand  floAver  and  spike,  extra  fine. 
Horace  Vernet. — Purple  red.  blotched  and  striped  Avhite;  fine. 
Leandre. — Bright  lilac,  blotched  and  striped  Avhite.  | 
J-c  Yesiive. — Fiery  red  ;  fine  late  A’ariety. 
Matador. — Bright  cherry  red,  striped  and  blotched  Avhite  ;  large 
and  fine  spike. 
Mjycrbccr. — Bright  vermilion,  amaranth  blotch ;  fine  spike. 
Fcreide. — Pale  lilac  rose,  small  violet  blotches  ;  fine  compact  spike. 
Ovide. — Purplish  carmine,  blotched  and  striped  pure  Avhite  ;  large 
floAver  and  spike. 
Pyramidc. — Clear  delicate  orange  rose,  shading  to  amber  in  the 
centre  ;  large  floAvers  of  exquisite  colour. 
Rayon  d’Or. — VelloAv,  red  stripes  and  purple  blotch  ;  very  distinct 
and  good. 
Bhakespeare. — White,  large  rose  blotch  ;  early  variety. 
Tercsita. — Pale  pink,  suff  used  rose,  and  blotched  A-iolct ;  fine. 
-D.,  Deal.  ’ 
Irish  Roses. 
I  will  only  intrude  a  feAv  remarks  in  continuation  of  the  obser¬ 
vations  of  “  J.  W.  J.”  and  partiality  dissented  from  by  your  racy 
correspondent,  Mr.  W.  R.  Raillem,  page  490,  in  reference  to 
Dicksons’  Irish  Roses.  Last  autumn  those  Roses  sent  out  by 
Messrs.  Dickson’s  firm  alone  numbered  fifty,  and  except  tAvo  or 
three  of  recent  introduction,  I  have  groAvn  all  myself,  and  seen 
those  Roses  grown  at  their  nurseries  at  NcAvtoAvnards,  besides  in 
priA’ate  gardens. 
The  principal  remark  I  feel  called  upon  to  make  in  reference 
to  Mr.  Raillem’s  observations  on  certain  varieties,  Avhere  he 
differs  from  “  J.  W.  J  . is  that  a  Rose  Avill  not  do  equally  Avell 
under  different  circumstances.  Position,  soil,  climate,  partial 
protection,  manuring,  Avatering,  a  northern  or  southern  location, 
all  affect  the  groAAth  and  production  of  fine  foliage  and  fine 
blooms.  I  should  be  sorry  to  discard  Earl  Dufferin  (Dickson)  or 
A.  K.  Williams  (ScliAvartz)  because  in  a  certain,  soil  and  position 
they  could  not  be  considered  vigorous,  and  both  are  very 
much  alike  in  many  respects  Avith  me.  On  the  Manetti  I  have 
found  Earl  Dufferin  v^ery  vigorous  in  my  garden,  the  soil  of  Avhich 
is  rather  calcareous,  but,  except  carefully  Avatched,  very  liable  to 
be  robbed  by  an  undergroAvth  of  suckers.  I  cannot  Avholly  agree 
that  the  groAvth  is  spindly,  nor  can  the  blooms  be  described  as 
lumpy,  or  facing  doAvnwards. 
I  mention  these  facts  merely  to  show  that  under  different  cir¬ 
cumstances  different  results  may  be  obtained  from  that  of  your 
versatile  correspondent,  Mr.  W.  R.  Raillem.  With  the  deserA’etl 
praise  he  bestoAvs  on  several  others  of  the  fift,y  A^arieties  referred 
to,  notably  Countess  of  Caledon,  Helen  Keller,  Mrs.  Sharinaii 
CraAvford,  Killarney,  and  Jeanie  Dickson,  I  cordially  agree,  but 
from  one  cause  or  another — possibly  from  the  Avorn-out  and  im¬ 
pregnated  soil  of  a  toAvn  garden,  but  more  likely  from  the  Avinter 
lingering  in  the  lap  of  spring,  or  the  lap  of  early  summer,  more 
accuratel.A’ — several  of  the  Teas  Avith  me'  in  the  open  are  by  no 
means  Augorous.  That  beauty,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant,  is  one,  and 
Ethel  BrcAvnloAv  another.  HoAvever,  any  reader  having  a  corner 
in  a  vinery  or  cool  greenhouse  should  not  be  Avithout  those  mag¬ 
nificent  Roses.  Under  those  circumstances  they  gUm  me  blooms 
for  about  eight  months,  and  do  not  canker  like  Marechal  Niel.  If 
a  brilliant  climber,  a  fine  tint  of  red,  is  Avanted  for  a  hack  Avail  or 
pillar,  Ards  Rover  Avill  ansAver  admirably.  I  cannot  close  Avithout 
expressing  my  acknoAvledgments  for  a  long  term  of  years  to  5’our 
brilliant  correspondent,  Mr.  W.  R.  Raillem. — W.  J.  Murphy, 
Clonmel. 
- - 
Book  Notices. 
Alpine  Flowers  for  Cardens.* 
This  book  Avas  the  first  that  Mr.  Robinson  produced.  Pre- 
Auously,  he  had  made  journeys  to  the  Alps  of  Europe,  and  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  North  America,  accounts  of  both  trips  being 
incorporated  in  graphic,  practical  narratives  in  the  book  before 
us.  “Alpine  Flowers  for  Gardens”  Avas  sold  out  at  the  end  of 
five  years,  and  the  second  edition  Avas  issued  in  1875.  The  im¬ 
pression  then  printed  exhausted  itself  a  considerable  time  ago, 
and  the  veteran  author  (he  is  seAmnty  years  of  age  or  thereabouts) 
has  once  again  supplied  a  standing  Avant  in  the  present  revised 
third  edition.  To  Mr.  Robinson  more  than  to  any  other  man 
belongs  the  honour  of  having  been  the  earliest  and  most 
streiiTious  advocate  of  alpine  and  hardy  herbaceous  plant  culture 
in  British  gardens,  and  the  leading  exponent  of  the  principles  of 
outdoor  gardening  since  the  fifties.  We  have  a  clear  recollection 
of  Mr.  Amos  Perry’s  lecture  on  the  subject  of  hardy  plant  cul¬ 
ture  deliv'ered  last  year  before  the  Horticultural  Club,  Avhere  he 
related  his  first  unhappy  experience  Avhen  he  essayed  to  exhibit  a 
group  of  border  floAvers  at  one  of  the  South  Kensington  SIioavs. 
First  of  all  there  Avas  no  room  for  him  and  hi.s  “  rubbish.”  Then 
he  had  to  Avait  until  other  exhibitors  had  utilised  their  different 
sections,  and  at  length  an  out-of-the-Avay  corner  Avas  found  for 
his  contribution. 
*  “Alpine  FloAver.^  for  Gardens,  Rock,  W.all,  Marsh  Plants,  and  Mountain 
Shrubs,”  by  AVilliain  Robinson.  Third  edition,  reA’ised.  .John  Murray,  London. 
10s.  6d.  net. 
