31-1) 
JOURNAL  ON  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  21,  1901. 
lias  to  come  in  ;  Imt  it  gives  him  the  chance,  and  chance  is  what 
hundreds  of  good  gardeners  are  waiting  for  to-day. 
It  is  very  easy  for  those  who  have  got  to  the  top  of  the  ladder 
(and  all  credit  due  to  them)  to  say  that  there  is  plenty  of  room 
np  there,  and  every  man  is  what  he  makes  himself;  hut  the  ugly 
fact  remains  that  there  are  more  good  gardeners  than  there  are 
really  good  places,  and  Dame  Fortune  in  her  shuffle  of  the  cards 
does  not  deal  trumps  all  round.  It  is  not  the  man  who  has  suc¬ 
ceeded  that  wants  a  pat  on  the  back  and  a  word  of  encourage¬ 
ment,  but  he  who  is  trying  to  succeed  and  is  waiting  for  the 
opportunity  that  will  give  him  the  opening. 
Still,  gardening  posses.ses  many  fascinations.  It  is  interesting 
and  healthy,  and  presents  possibilities.  Just  as  Napoleon  said 
that  every  French  soldier  carried  a  marshal’s  baton  in  his  knap¬ 
sack,  so  may  any  garden  hoy  now  engaged  in  the  elementary 
occu])ation  of  pot-crocking  one  day  preside  over  a  pretentious 
establishment  ;  hut  it  is  just  as  well  to  remember  that  they  can’t 
all  do  it,  any  more  than  every  one  of  Napoleon’s  privates  could 
become  marshals  of  the  empire  ;  so  that  gardeners  must  ever 
contend  with  the  changes  and  chances  that  are  inseparable  to 
the  occupation. — G.  H.  H. 
- - - 
Hardy  Plant  Notes, 
Brodisea  uniflopa  alba. 
Perhaps  the  l)etter  known  name  for  this  dazzling  white  little 
Star  Flower  is  that  found  in  many  catalogues,  namely,  Triteleia 
uniflora  alba,  but  in  this  case  Prodirea  is  simpler,  and  this  genus 
i<  certainly  more  widely  known  in  gardens  than  Triteleia. 
B.  uniflora  is  a  “  bulbous  ”  plant  from  Buenos  Ayres,  and  which 
blossoms  during  this  month  and  next  in  Fnglish  gardens.  The 
flowers  ai'e  lilac  blue,  and  alba  is  a  variety  from  it.  It  should  be 
planted  and  left  undisturbed  for  some  years. 
Lupinus  polyphyllus  albus. 
This  is  a  very  hand.some  white  variety  of  “the  old-fashioned 
garden  Lupin,’’  i.e  L.  polyphyllus,  and  bears  the  character  of 
the  latter  in  all  respects  except  in  the  colour  of  the  flowers. 
L.  polyphyllus  has  blue  flowers,  and  albus  has  white.  Both 
grow  to  a  height  of  3ft,  and  blossom  during  June.  Planted  now, 
the  plants  will  quickly  establish  themselves  and  flower  this  year. 
One  of  the  best  of  the  white  tree  Lupins,  which  one  can  hardly 
refrain  from  naming,  is  Snow  Queen.  It  is  of  great  value  for 
cutting. 
North  AmerlGaii  Foliag-e  Plants. 
Foliage  plants  sugge.st  the  inhabitants  of  the  stove  and  other 
plant-houses,  or  perchance  applies  to  the  open  air  subjects,  the 
tremendous  Gunneras.  .Nothing  of  these  kinds  exi,st  in  the 
northern  regions  of  the  great  West  Continent,  although  in  hei' 
woods  there  exist  many  charming  subjects  that  through  the 
depth  of  winter  retain  their  red  and  green.  Conspicuous 
amongst  those  that  lorm  our  climate  as  well  as  their  own  are 
Shortia  and  Galax,  both  plants  of  great  value.  They  exist 
usually  in  a  miserable,  isolated  condition  np  and  down  the 
country  as  “Alpines,’’  a  name  which  somehow  or  other 
effectively  keeps  them  away  from  some  gardens. 
Both  will  grow  where  Rhododendrons  thrive,  and  they  form 
admirafile  edgings  to  beds  elevated  to  the  choicest  kinds  of  these 
and  other  peat-loving  plants.  The  Galax,  imported  leaves  of 
which  are  used  in  London  for  wreath-making,  has  almost  round 
leaves  in  its  largest  variety,  Galax  aphylla  major,  and  these 
reach  under  ordinary  conditions  four  inches  across,  each  sup¬ 
ported  on  wiry  stalks  about  the  same  length.  The  ordinary 
G.  aphylla  is  smaller  than  the  above.  Both  thrive  in  shade,  and 
both  also  in  sunny  positions  if  a  peaty,  moist  soil  can  be  nro- 
vicled.  ■  ^ 
In  the  case  of  this  plant  and  also  the  Shortia,  the  more 
exposed  to  the  light  they  are  the  finer  will  be  the  red  colourint^ 
a,long  the  edges  of  the  Galax  leaves,  sometime's 
f  iftu.ses  their  whole  surface.  Shortia  galacifolia  is  still  more 
beautifully  coloured,  each  leaf  being  conspicuously  red,  relieved 
by  the  light  gi-een  numerous  veins.  Planted  in  scores  at  Edin¬ 
burgh,  its  winter  effect  is  good.  It  revels  in  peat,  and  perhaps 
needs  moi’e  careful  attention  than  Galax,  which  is  not  so  par¬ 
ticular  as  to  soil. 
The  Shortia,  which  was  foi'  nearly  a  century  a  lost  plant  in 
merica,  scores  oyer  its  ally,  the  Galax,  with  its  profusion  of 
spring  flowers  which  are  bell-shaped  and  white,  with  a  tinge  of 
rose.  Galax  flowers  are  whitish,  but  very  small,  and  produced 
m  fflng  spikes  that  give  to  it  the  name 'of  Wand  Plant.  The 
mxture  of  the  leaves  of  both  of  these  good  plants  resembles  that 
ot  the  nlahonia,  lyhich  is,  of  course,  a  very  fine-foliaged  plant,  or 
lat  lei  slirul),  and  would  be  much  appreciated  if  it  did  not  grow 
lere  with  the  freedoin  of  an  indigenous  plant.  It  is  a  North 
.  meiican,  too.  Shortia  nnifloia,  of  Japan,  and  Schizocodon,  also 
lom  the  same  land,  have  equally  charming,  persi.stent  leaves, 
mt  are  at  the  presmit  difficult  and  expensive  to  obtain  in  proper 
quantities. -D.  S.  Fish,  Edinburgh.  ^  ^ 
Chang’8  of  Address, 
The  address  of  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  garden  superintendent  to 
the  Rpyal  Horticultural  Society,  after  April  23  will  be  R.H.S. 
Gardens,  Wisley,  Ripley,  Surrey. 
Cinerarias  from  Forest  Hili. 
We  have  received  from  Messrs.  John  Ijaing  and  Sons,  of 
Forest  Hill,  S.E.,  some  specimen  flowers  of  varieties  of  the 
florists’  Cineraria,  which  are  meritorious  in  size  and  substance 
and  the  richness  of  their  beautiful  colours. 
Richard  Dean’s  Nursery,  Hounslow. 
The  Primrose  nursery  of  Mr.  Richard  Dean,  V.M.H.,  on  the 
Bath  Road,  and  only  a  few  yards  from  Hounslow'  Barracks 
Station,  is  now  very  gay  with  seedling  Primroses  and  Poly¬ 
anthuses.  The  plants  are  exceedingly  floriferous,  and  some 
exceptionally  good  varieties  are  noticeable. 
Tomato  Blig-ht. 
Tomatoes  are  subject  to  a  blight  wdiich  affects  both  the 
foliage  and  the  fruit.  Bordeaux  mixture  is  excellent  for  these, 
and  it  should  be  applied. soon  after  the  plants  are  placed  in  the 
ground,  and  again  at  intervals  of  twelve  days,  for  two  or  three 
times.  Tomato  plants  should  be  trained  to  tall  stakes  or  wire 
trellises  and  thoroughly  pruned,  all  branches  and  foliage  being 
taken  off  for  2ft  from  the  ground.  This  will  be  a  great  aid  in 
Saving  the  plants  from  blight  attack. 
Royal  Botanic  Society  and  Motop  Lawn-moweps. 
The  second  monthly  exhibition  was  held  on  13th  ult.,  when 
a  goodly  display  of  choice  plants  and  flowers  was  provided.  The 
committee  present  consisted  of  IMessrs.  J.  AVillard  (chairman), 
Mhn.  Howe,  W.  Bull,  Heaton  Nichols,  and  E.  F.  Hawes.  The 
weather  was  line,  and  a  good  attendance  was  secured.  The 
society  introduced  a  novel  feature  on  this  occasion,  which  should 
prove  of  great  value  to  gardeners  and  their  employers.  It  con¬ 
sisted  of  a  working  exhibit  of  motor  and  other  lawn  mowers  by 
Messr.s.  Ransomes  on  the  main  lawn  in  fi’ont  of  a  large  con¬ 
servatory,  and  was  of  great  practic.al  value  to  a  lai'ge  number 
of  pei'sons  present,  who  were  thus  enahled  to  form  an  opinion 
of  their  work. 
The  Lily-house,  Edgbaston  Botanical  Gapdens. 
Apropos  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  Inly  house  in  the  Botanical 
Gardens  at  Edgbaston,  I  hear  that  it  is  proposed  (says  a  con¬ 
temporary)  to  grow  in  the  tank  a  Victoria  Regia  Lily,  that  is,  a 
specimen  of  the  giant  aquatic  from  the  River  Amazon.  This 
Lily  has  not  been  grown  in  Birmingham  for  many  years.  It 
is  a  marvellous  plant,  its  leaves  measuring  from  6ft  to  8ft  across. 
They  are  round  in  shape,  and  are  said  to  be  strong  enough  to 
bear  the  weight  of  a  child  upon  them.  The  Victoria  Regia 
Lily  first  flowered  in  this  country  in  the  Midland  counties,  a 
very  fine  specimen  being  successfully  cultivated  at  Chatsworth, 
the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire.  The  growth  of  this  giant 
will  be  watched  with  interest  at  the  Botanical  Gardens. 
RepoPt  of  the  Amepican  Pomological  Society. 
The  secretary  of  this  national  society  of  fruit  growers  and 
students  of  horticulture  announces  that  the  report  of  the  pro¬ 
ceedings  of  the  Boston  Convention  has  just  come  from  the 
press,  and  is  ready  for  distribution.  This  report  contains  an 
nnusually  large  amount  of  valuable  matter,  including  as  it  does 
the  addresses  of  noted  scientists  and  pomologists.  Important 
changes  appear  in  the  amended  code  of  nomenclature.  For  the 
first  time  the  pomological  history  of  the  Middle  States  is  wiitten 
up ;  the  chapter  on  ideals  in  pomology  is  full  of  suggestions  ;  the 
cold  storage  of  fruits  is  .thoroughly  discussed.  There  is  also  to 
be  found  an  important  contribution  on  the  judging  of  fruits  by 
the  score-card  method.  Originators  of  new  fruits  should 
acquaint  themselves  with  the  method  of  ad  interim  awards 
recently  adopted  by  the  society,  wdiereby  the  grower  can  enter 
a  new  fruit  for  a  Wilder  silver  medal  at  any  time  of  the  year. 
