May  9,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
387 
Michaelmas  Daisies. 
The  claims  of  Michaelmas  Daisies  to  priority  as  garden  plants  for 
early  and  late  flowering,  or  for  cut  blooms,  is  undeniably  supreme ; 
they  in  the  severest  winters  stand  uninjured.  Their  lovely  flowers 
are  quite  a  boon  in  the  herbaceous  and  shrubbery  borders  from 
July,  and  continue  in  unbroken  succession  until  early  December. 
A  position  most  suitable  for 
them  is  in  the  spaces  between 
flowering  shrubs  or  low-grow¬ 
ing  trees,  where  they  are  quite 
at  home,  and  may  be  left 
undisturbed  for  a  few  years. 
Too  much  cannot  be  said  in 
favour  of  so  beautiful  and 
useful  a  genus  of  Composites, 
and  we  are  indebted  to  North 
America  for  most  of  them. 
When  Phlox  decussata,  Japa¬ 
nese  Anemones  (A.  japonica), 
the  perennial  Sunflowers,  and 
the  beautiful  Chrysanthemums 
and  Dahlias  are  past,  the 
Asters  are  spreading  their 
bright-hued  sprays  to  enliven 
the  gardens,  which  would 
otherwise  be  dull  and  unin¬ 
teresting.  Such  flowering 
plants,  that  take  us  into  the 
cold  dull  days  of  November, 
and  even  December,  cannot 
be  too  highly  praised  or  en¬ 
couraged  as  worthy  subjects 
for  beds  of  borders.  Their 
gradation  of  height  also  renders 
them  suitable  for  any  kind  or 
style  of  gardening,  either  as 
whole  beds,  in  shrubberies,  or 
in  front  borders,  as  almost 
any  height  may  be  had,  from 
a  few  inches  to  6  and  8  feet. 
They  are  not  capricious  as  to 
when  they  are  moved,  and, 
if  the  operation  is  done  with 
a  little  care,  they  may  be 
transplanted  at  the  present 
time,  and  afterwards  well 
watered. 
Pot  Culture. — To  produce 
fine  sprays  and  large  flowers 
when  grown  as  pot  plants, 
the  best  soil  for  them  is  equal 
parts  loam  and  leaf  mould, 
with  a  dash  of  sand,  though 
good  ordinary  garden  soil  will 
suit  them.  Some  of  the  most 
showy  species  and  varieties 
are  as  follows,  with  approxi¬ 
mate  height : — 
Early  Flowering. — Acris, 
2  feet ;  amellus  bessarabicus, 
2  feet ;  a.  Riverslea,  2  feet  ; 
a.  Framfieldi,  2  feet ;  corym- 
bosus  Perseus,  2  feet  ;  linosyris 
(chrysocoma)  2  feet ;  longi- 
folius  var.  Madame  Soyneuse, 
2  leet  ;  Novi-Belgii  Madonna, 
3  feet;  N.-B.  laevigatU8,2£  feet; 
ptarmicoides  major,  1J  foot  ; 
and  puniceus,  2£  feet. 
Medium  Flowering. — Cordifolius  albulus,  4  feet ;  c.  Diana  (syn. 
Photograph),  3£  feet;  c.  elegans,  4  feet;  Coombe  Fishacre,  3  feet ; 
Councillor  W.  Waters,  3  feet;  Lindleyanus  nanus,  1£  foot;  Novi- 
Belgii  Pleiad,  1^  foot;  N.-B.  Autumn  Glory,  4  feet;  N.-B.  Mrs.  C.  W. 
Eirle,  5  feet;  N.-B.  F.  W.  Burbidge,  4  feet;  N.-B.  Top  Sawyer, 
4  feet  ;  N.-B.  White  Spray,  5  feet. 
Late  Flowering.— Amethystinus,  4  feet  ;  diffusus  horizontalis, 
21  feet;  ericoides,  2^  feet;  lsevis  Arcturis,  4  feet;  laevis  Calliope, 
4£  feet ;  grandiflorus,  feet ;  Novse-Angliae  Mrs.  J.  F.  Rayner, 
4  i feet  ;  N.-A.  Precocite,  4  feet;  N.-A.  Wm.  Bowman,  4  feet; 
N.-B.  E.  G.  Lowe,  3£  feet  ;  N.-B.  Archer  Hind,  4  feet ;  N.-B.  Maia, 
4  leet ;  Tradescantia,  4  feet ;  turbinellus,  3  feet. — W.  L.,  Lewisham. 
DARLINGTONIA  CALIFQRXICA. 
Darlingtonia  California. 
Slight  confusion  was  caused  by  De  Candolle  applying  the  name  of 
Darlingtonia  to  some  members  of  the  Acacias,  which  he  separated  from 
them  and  formed  a  new  genus.  This  has  been  abolished,  and  the  species 
so  separated  added  to  Desmanthus.  However,  it  was  resolved  that 
Dr.  Darlington,  an  American  botanist,  should  not  be  robbed  of  the 
honour  due  to  him,  so  Darling¬ 
tonia  was  bestowed  on  a  new 
genus  of  the  natural  order  Sar- 
raceniacese,  or  Pitcher  Plants. 
Only  one  species  is  known  at 
present,  and  popularly  known 
as  the  Californian  Side-saddle, 
or  Pitcher  Plant.  It  has  been 
thus  described  by  Mr.  Black. 
It  is  “  a  perennial  herb  growing 
in  marshy  places.  Its  leaves 
all  rise  from  the  root,  the 
adult  ones  being  from  8  inches 
to  a  foot  or  more  in  length  ; 
the  stalk  or  pitcher  tubular, 
gradually  tapering  downwards, 
and  singularly  twisted  on  the 
axis  about  half  a  turn,  marked 
with  strong  veins  and  slender 
veinlets,  and  the  summit 
vaulted  and  formed  into  a  sac 
about  the  size  of  a  hen’s  egg, 
on  the  under  side  of  which  is 
an  oval  orifice,  about  half  an 
inch  in  diameter,  opening  into 
the  cavity  of  the  pitcher  ;  the 
upper  part  of  this  tube  is  of 
a  dull  orange  colour.  The 
blade,  which  is  borne  on  the 
end  of  the  stalk  or  pitcher, 
is  narrowed  at  the  base,  and 
deeply  divided  into  two  spread¬ 
ing  nearly  lance-shaped  lobes, 
which  are  curved  downwards, 
and  also  often  backwards, 
resembling  the  lop  -  ears  of 
some  varieties  of  rabbit.  The 
pitoher,  inside  the  hood,  is 
furnished  with  short  conical 
hairs,  whioh  point  downwards, 
and  towards  the  base  there 
are  long  slender  hairs,  also 
pointing  downwards;  remains 
of  insects  are  sometimes  found 
at  the  bottom. 
“The  flowers  are  single 
and  nodding  at  the  apex  of 
a  smooth  stalk,  which  is  fur¬ 
nished  with  straw  coloured 
scales,  and  varies  from  2  to 
4  feet  in  length.  When  fully 
expanded  the  flower  is  about 
2  inches  in  diameter ;  the  calyx 
consists  of  five  straw-coloured 
acute  sepals ;  the  petals,  of  a 
like  number,  and  pale  purple 
in  colour,  are  narrowed  and 
ooncave  at  the  apex  and  broad 
below;  the  twelve  to  fifteen  stamens  are  nearly  hidden  by  the 
projecting  summit  of  the  ovary,  which  is  top-shaped,  slightly  Jive¬ 
angled,  and  crowned  by  a  short  style  with  a  five-lobed  stigma.  The 
fruit  is  a  five-celled  capsule,  about  an  inch  in  length,  with  numerous 
seeds.  The  forked  blade  of  the  leaf  and  the  form  of  the  stigma 
distinguish  the  genus  from  Sarracenia,  which  has  an  umbrella-shaped 
stigma.”  In  our  illustration  a  bee  may  be  seen  making  its  way  to 
death’s-door. 
The  plant  is  a  herbaceous  perennial,  and  requires  similar  treatment 
to  Sarracenias,  namely,  to  be  grown  in  fibry  peat  and  chopped 
sphagnum,  and  protected  from  frost  in  winter  in  a  pit  or  frame. 
Numbers  of  8arracenias  and  other  insectivorous  plants  are  now 
flowering  at  Kew.  They  are  both  beautiful  and  exceedingly  interesting. 
