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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  2,  1901. 
A  Huge  Pine  Log. — Regarding  the  Pine  log  mentioned  at 
page  325,  we  further  learn  that  this  remarkable  produot  took  thirty-two 
oxen  two  days  to  drag  it  eight  miles,  and  eight  days  were  consumed 
in  freeing  it  from  the  bark  ;  yet,  despite  its  huge  size,  it  was 
“  lost  ”  on  its  way  down  the  Pearl  River,  Louisiana,  to  the  coast,  and 
was  only  recovered  by  accident.  It  is  said  that  by  the  time  it  had 
reached  Pearlington  it  had  cost  twenty-five  times  its  value  as  it  stood  in 
the  forest. 
A  Tree  for  Town  Planting. — According  to  the  “American 
Florist,”  Celtis  occidentalis,  the  Hackberry,  is  a  tree  well  adapted 
to  withstand  the  adverse  conditions  usually  surrounding  trees  in 
cities.  The  bark  is  thick  and  rough,  the  numerous  branches  spread 
horizontally,  and  the  leaves,  about  like  those  of  the  Apple,  but  more 
pointed,  are  a  bright  shining  green.  The  tree  is  rare  in  our  own 
islands,  though  specimens  are  to  be  found  in  botanic  and  a  few  other 
gardens.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Southern  States  of  America. 
Hyacinth  Leonidas  :  A  Splendid  Blue  Variety. — Good  blue 
Hyacinths,  perhaps  next  to  good  crimson  varieties,  are  subjects  of 
great  value  to  the  person  who  delights  in,  or  has  to  furnish,  showy 
spring  bedding.  The  effect  of  a  fine  oblong  bed  of  the  variety  Leonidas, 
as  viewed  three  weeks  ago  in  the  Royal  Gardens  at  Kew,  was  charming 
beyond  praise.  When  I  first  caught  sight  of  the  bonnie  blue  blaze  (!)  I  was 
perhaps  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  off.  The  presentment  was  altogether 
too  imposing  even  at  a  first  glance  to  give  one  the  idoa  that  here  was  a 
grand  bed  of  Glory  of  the  Snow  or  of  Squills.  So  I  smartened  my 
steps  and  blinked  my  eyes  rather  harder  and  quicker,  but  the  blazen 
blue  baffled  me  until  I  was  close  upon  the  bed.  My  curiosity  was  then 
well  rewarded  by  the  pleasing  sight  of  a  body  of  even-flowered  spikes. 
The  colour  is  bright  sky  blue  with  just  a  suspicion  of  white  shading. 
This  was  the  earliest  variety  in  flower  this  year,  and  the  site  was  one  of 
the  coolest  and  shadiest.. —  J. 
Puddling  Roots  of  Trees. — The  practice  of  puddling  roots  of 
trees  before  pecking  them  for  shipment,  says  the  “  Amerioan  Florist,” 
is  well  worthy  the  attention  of  all  nurserymen  who  have  not  yet  adopted 
it.  In  many  establishments  the  puddling  is  deemed  as  necessary  as 
damp  material  for  packing  among  the  roots,  the  conclusion  being  the 
result  of  the  experience  of  many  years.  A  large  water-tight  box  is  set 
into  a  hole  dug  for  it,  deep  enough  that  the  sides  of  the  box  are  on  a 
level  with  the  ground.  This  box  is  half  filled  with  some  stiff  soil  ;  if 
partly  clay  so  much  the  better.  Then  water  enough  is  poured  in  to 
render  the  soil  into  a  thin  mush.  As  the  bundles  of  trees  are  brought 
in  to  be  boxed  or  baled  the  roots  are  dipped  into  this  mixture.  The 
utility  of  this  practice  undoubtedly  comes  from  the  incasing  of  the 
surface  of  all  the  roots  in  a  something  which  excludes  air,  and  at  the 
same  time  preserves  moisture.  Trees  and  shrubs  so  treated  are  far 
better  prepared  to  stand  a  journey  in  a  box  for  several  weeks  than  those 
not  puddled.  So  much  better  pleased  are  customers  with  trees  so 
treated,  because  of  their  success  with  them,  that  it  pays  the  nurseryman 
many  times  over  to  take  the  time  to  so  prepare  the  trees. 
Orchids  at  Highbury. — This  is  not  the  time  for  great  displays 
of  any  kind  of  Orchid  in  masses,  but  recently  at  Highbury  there 
were  such,  for  instance,  as  Dendrobium  Wardianum,  now  just  passed, 
otherwise  Cattleya  Lawrenceana ;  C.  suavis,  C.  maxima  gigantea,  very 
fine;  C.  Mendeli,  C.  Schioederiana,  C.  Claudia,  and  Lselio-Cattleya 
making  an  attractive  show  ;  while  Dendrobium  Findleyanum,  D.  Cybele, 
and  one  or  two  other  species,  tended  to  make  up  for  further  variety  by 
the  beauty  of  their  flowers.  Of  Odontoglossums,  0.  Pescatorei, 
O.  Edwardi  (an  unusual  purple  colour),  0.  odoratum,  0.  crispum 
in  vars. ,  O.  Cervantesi,  of  very  fine  form,  were  the  chief  of  their 
family.  Of  Masdevallias,  Yeitchiana,  Shuttleworthi,  and  Shuttryaua 
Chamberlainiana,  were  the  most  conspicuous,  including  a  fine  form  of 
M.  Dayana.  Epidendrum  Delliense  and  E.  Obrienianum,  Sophronitis 
grandiflora,  Tetramicra  bicolor,  a  small  plant  with  pretty  flowers,  of 
Ada  aurantiaca  and  Vanda  suavis,  with  six  spikes  of  its  beautiful  flowers, 
were  the  principal  species  in  flower,  and  reflected  much  credit  upon  the 
skill  and  attention  displayed  by  Mr.  John  McKay,  the  recently  appointed 
grower  from  Kew. 
The  Golden  Rider,  Sambucus  plumosus  aureus.  —  This 
nicely  serrate-leaved,  yellow  coloured  variety  of  Elder  is  becoming 
yearly  more  liberally  grown  for  pot  purposes.  It  is  easy  to  force,  or  at 
least  to  bring  on  in  gentle  heat,  and  thus  furnishes  a  distinct  and 
beautiful  foliage  plant  for  arranging  along  with  such  brilliant  masses 
of  floral  colour  which  Azaleas  and  other  hardwooded  plants  provide  at 
this  season.  It  is  easily  grown  and  readi  ly  propagated.  As  a  shrubbery 
plant  it  also  finds  considerable  favour. 
Primula  IVIlss  ZVXassee. — Since  this  grand  single  Primrose  was 
first  introduced  at  Long  Ditton  it  has  become  fairly  well  known.  Not 
many  of  the  ordinary  garden  Primroses  deserve  or  receive  varietal 
names,  but  when  they  are  so  conspicuously  brilliant  and  rich  as  this 
one  is,  then  a  disti  nguishiDg  name  is  very  desirable.  The  corolla  is 
like  smooth  velvet,  and  is  coloured  intensely  deep  blood-red  crimson. 
The  colour  literally  seems  to  shine.  This  is  one  of  the  most  handsome 
and  beautiful  single  border  Primulas  at  present  in  existence. 
A  Choice,  Hardy  Flowering  Shrub. — Viburnum  plicatum  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  many  valuable  introductions  from 
Japan.  In  the  garden  form  of  Viburnum  plicatum  all  the  flowers  are 
sterile  and  flaring,  making  solid  globose  heads  of  pure  white,  which  are 
brilliantly  displayed  by  the  rich  deep  green  of  the  foliage.  The  Japanese 
Snowball,  as  the  sh  rub  is  popularly  called,  is  somewhat  smaller  in  all 
its  parts  than  the  common  Snowball  or  Guelder  Rose,  and  is  of  more 
compact  habit ;  leaves  distinctly  plicate.  It  is  a  very  valuable  shrub 
for  small  masses  or  as  a  specimen,  flowering  freely  in  the  early  part  of 
the  summer,  and,  moreover,  the  flowers  persist  for  a  considerable  time. 
Except  in  very  cold  soils,  or  bleak  situation,  this  fine  subject  succeeds 
exceedingly  well.  In  the  North  it  is  always  wise  to  select  a  sheltered 
site  and  porous  soil. 
Hardy  Flowers  of  April. — When  large  nurserymen  growers  make 
endeavours  to  gather  together  a  representative  collection  of  hardy 
flowers,  one  sees  what  fine  subjects  there  is  at  command.  Mr.  Amos 
Perry,  of  Winchmore  Hill,  staged  a  collection  of  alpines  and  early 
herbaceous  plants  recently  at  the  Drill  Hall,  and  here  was  included 
such  choice  su  bjects  as  Mertensia  virginica,  with  pale  blue  flowers  j 
purple  and  blue  Primulas,  also  the  double  pale  lilac-heliotrope  Primula 
acaulis  liliciana  plena.  The  Wood  Lilies  (Trilliums)  were  here,  and 
that  rather  rare,  but  beautiful,  blue  alpine  gem  named  Tecophilsea 
cyanocrocus  :  the  flowers  are  intense,  yet  bright,  indigo  blue.  Anemone 
Robinsoniana,  A.  vernalis,  A.  Pulsatilla,  and  a  new  white-flowered 
species,  A.  flaccida,  were  each  conspicuous. 
Flower  Toques. — Flower  hats  with  their  natural  foliage,  either 
green  or  sere -coloured,  are  more  popular  than  ever,  especially  for 
theatre  wear  and  for  small  dinners  at  the  fashionable  restaurants. 
They  are  made  broad  and  flat,  and  are  worn  well  over  the  forehead. 
Roses  in  all  colours  have  been  so  much  seen  that  they  are  not  so  well 
in  favour  among  real  elegantes  just  at  present.  But  Lilies  of  the 
Valley,  with  their  tender  green  leaves  veiled  lightly  in  vapouring  pale 
green  tulle,  or  Water  Lilies  and  their  flat  brown-edged  leaves  veiled  in 
russet-coloured  tulle,  are  most  chic.  A  delightful  flowered  toque, 
entirely  composed  of  velvety  Wallflowers  in  tones  varying  from  deep 
red-brown  to  bright  chrome-yellow,  was  lately  seen  and  described  in  a 
contemporary.  It  had  a  few — very  few — sprigs  of  the  natural  foliage 
mixed  in  between  the  closely  pressed  blossoms. 
Greenhouse  Rhododendrons. — If  the  hybrid  Rhododendrons 
from  Edinburgh  (shown  by  Mr.  A.  MoMillan  in  the  Drill  Hall),  had  no 
other  attributes,  they  certainly  laid  claim  to  the  distinction  of 
noticeable  and  pleasant  fragrance.  The  size  of  these  new  greenhouse 
Rhododendron  trusses  is  well  up  to  the  standard  of  the  best  Veitchianum 
and  other  varieties  or  types.  One  of  the  forms  used  to  obtain  these 
newer  varieties  has  been  a  large  white  seedling,  which,  so  far,  has  no 
better  name  than  McMillan’s  Large  White.  This  came  originally  as  a 
specially  good  and  distinctive  seedling  from  R.  Lady  Alice  Fitzwilliam. 
The  latter  has  also  been  much  used  in  other  crosses.  It  gives  the 
quality  of  size  and  fragrance;  R.  Veitchianum  has  the  effect  of 
furnishing  floriferousness  and  good  habit.  Some  of  the  seedlings  have 
been  obtained  from  R.  ciliatum  crossed  with  the  Large  White,  and  the 
combined  qualities  of  these  two  are  conspicuously  shown  in  the  larger 
size,  the  early  flowering,  and  the  hardiness  of  the  seedlings  obtained. 
The  colour  of  the  seedlings,  moreover,  has  been  changed,  giving  a  flower 
with  a  large  amount  of  yellow,  and  fringed  with  white.  R.  Countess 
of  Haddington  has  also  had  a  large  share  in  effecting  changes  and 
producing  good,  new  sorts. 
