242  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  GOTTAUE  GARDENER.  September  lo,  1903. 
Anomatheca  cruenta. 
This  2)retty  little  Irid  is  a  native  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
whence  it  was  introduced  long  ago  ;  but  uj)  to  the  iiresmt  time 
we  were  not  aware  that  it  had  any  claims  to  be  considered  a 
hardy  plant.  Captain  Rogers  tells  us  the  irlaut  has  come  up  re¬ 
gularly  for  the  last  three  years  in  his  stable-yard,  near  the  root 
of  a  Plum  tree,  and  in  a  situation  wdiere  it  gets  no  benefit  from 
the  morning  sun,  and  indeed  only  a  scanty  supply  of  sunlight  for 
the  rest  of  the  day. 
The  Best  Thirteen  Violas. 
I  am  often  asked  (writes  Mr.  Win.  Sydenham,  of  Tannyorth) 
which  are  the  best  tw’elve  or  thirteen  for  bedding  or  exhibition. 
For  bedding  I  have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  the  following 
thirteen.  They  w’ere  at  the  top  of  the  Viola  favourites  during 
this  season,  1903: — Councillor  Waters,  Aecushla  or  Hector  Mac¬ 
donald,  Molly  Po2:)e  or  Kitty  Hay,  Rolph,  Skipjack,  Duncan, 
Seagull  or  Swan,  Blanche,  John  Quarton,  Favourite,  Golden 
Queen,  White  Bieauty,  and  J.  B.  Riding. 
Catalpa  bignonioides. 
Amongst  many  fine  trees  growdng  at  Thornhill  Park,  Bitterne, 
near  Southampton,  there  is  one  of  the  finest,  if  not  the  finest, 
.specimen  of  the  above-named  species  to  be  seen  in  this  country. 
The  stem  at  the  base  is  10ft  in  circumference.  The  tree,  wdiich  is 
about  (50ft  in  height,  is  now  (August  20)  wmll  covered  from  the 
ground  to  the  top  with  very  large  .spikes  of  bloom,  each  individual 
Achiinene-like  flower  mea.suring  from  l.Vin  to  2in  across.  Thorn¬ 
hill  Park  is  not  wdiat  is-  called  a  show  jhace,  but  there  is  much 
there  to  interest  the  horticulturist,  esirecially  the  grand  collection 
of  coniferous  trees  groAving  in  the  pleasure  grounds,  and  anyone 
fond  of  woodland  scenery,  extensive  views,  and,  just  now,  some 
splendid  patches  of  heath  quite  dazzling  to  look  at,  could  do 
much  worse  than  pay  a  visit  to  the  genial  head  gardener,  Mr. 
George  Busby. — C.  S.  F. 
Species  of  Clematis. 
The  collection  of  sjrecies  of  Clematis  at  Kew  is  at  present  in 
good  condition  for  studying.  The  lanuginosa  varieties  are  in  a  bed 
by  themselves,  and  include  the  favourite  and  best  sorts.  Each 
in  a  round  bed  by  itself,  and  at  suitable  distances  apart  on  the 
open  green  sward  are  the  sirecies,  numbering  about  a  score, 
some  of  which  are  not  seen  out  of  botanical  gardens,  even  though 
they  are  beautifully  decorative. 
Thus  there  is  the  yellow  flowered  C.  orientalis  tanguitica 
(drooping  like  a  Fritillaria) ;  the  dull,  the  metallic  brown  C.  fusca  ; 
the  charming  crimson-flowered  C.  coccinea  ;  the  jArimrose  bell-like 
sethusifolia  latisecta,  Avhich  bears  hundreds  of  its  drooping  little 
blossoms  from  slender,  twining  branchlets.  With  these  there  are 
C.  campanulseflora,  with  lovely  white  and  mauve  tinted  flowers, 
quite  like  those  of  a  small  Campanula  ;  also  C.  viticella  in  varieties 
white,  violet,  or  purple,  and  furnishing  one  of  the  finest  types  of 
jdants  it  is  possible  to  find  for  covering  pillars  and  pergolas  wdth 
at  this  season.  These  are  all  of  a  climbing  character. 
Amongst  others  to  be  noticed  are  C.  orientalis  (type)  with  its 
light  glaucous  foliage  and  very  slender,  “  sprayey  ”  growth. 
G.  conuata  is  desirable  for  it.s  foliage  alone,  Avhich  is  a  lively 
green,  the  leaves  being  imparipinnate,  having  five  leaflets.  The 
leafstems  are  opposite,  clasping  the  stems. 
The  intermedia  varieties  may  be  compared  to  the  better  known 
C.  viticella’s.  They  are  profuse  bloomers  and  effective  en  ma-sse. 
C.  coccinea  from  Texas,  makes  a  better  show'  against  a  sheltering 
wall,  in  a  sunny  border,  than  on  a  wooden  support  in  the  open. 
C.  vernalis,  which  flowers  early  in  the  year,  like  C.  montana,  has 
foliage  not  unlike  that  of  Sjairsea  jafionica,  though  not  serrated. 
It  is  a  good  climber.  C.  montana,  by  the  W'ay,  and  also  the 
C.  vitalba  or  Traveller’.s  Joy,  are  splendid  plants  for  forming 
bowers  of.  C.  flammula,  integrifolia,  and  lieracleifolia  are  each 
interesting,  the  latter  two  being  dwarf.  C.  inte.grifolia  may 
frequently  be  found  in  herbaceous  borders  ;  while  the  Heracleum- 
leaved  Clematis  is  a  good  “  wild  garden  ”  plant. 
Violas  as  Rock  Plants. 
When  once  tried  a.s  rock  plants  Violas  will  be  much  appre¬ 
ciated.  They  do  Avell,  produce  an  abundance  of  bloom,  and 
generdily  thrive  better  than  -in  any  other  part  of  the  garden. 
Miniatures  are  particularly  at ‘home  when  grown  in  this  {Aosition. 
Pigmy,  Robin,  Minnie  M^arren,  Clommodore  Nutt,  White  Dot, 
Quail  are  a  very  interesting  set. 
Winter  Aconites. 
The  Winter  Aconite,  or  Eranthis  hyemalis,  is  an  excellent 
subject  to  carpet  any  wild  border  or  shrubbery  with  yellow 
flowers,  which  appear  in  January.  The  tubers  may  be  planted 
in  autumn,  from  October  onwards,  placing  them  2in  apart  and 
2in  deep  in  anjy  ordinary  soil.  When  jolanted  they  will  come  up 
annually,  remaining  a  irermanent  feature,  and  flowering  freely 
before  the  Snowdrop.  The  tubers  are  cheair,  the  best  being 
obtainable  at  2s.  6d.  per  100.  Tubers  may  also  be  planted  in 
large  pans  for  wdndows,  verandahs,  cool  house,  or  sheltered 
positions. — S. 
Bulbous  Plants  in  Greenhouses. 
It  is  a  strange  fact  that  large  numbers  of  practical  gardeners 
can  cultivate  plants  to  perfection,  yet  they  have  as  much  know¬ 
ledge  of,  and  taste  for  staging  the  same,  as  a  dock  labourer  might 
be  expected  to  have.  It  is  a  serious  and  great  failing,  but,  un¬ 
fortunately,  columns  of  printed  matter  cannot  supply  a  faculty 
that  is  wanting,  the  lines  can  only  suggest  w'hat  might  be  done. 
But  where  the  power  of  imitation  is  good,  an  illustration  like  the 
one  given  (p.  243)  can  be  of  service.  Grouplets  and  masses  of  one 
sort  of  plant  are  generally  more  beautiful,  and  more  pleasing  to 
the  mind,  than  a  studied  mixture  of  subjects  of  all  forms  and 
hues.  A  house  such  as  Mr.  Chamberlain  has  at  Highbury,  which 
is  span-roofed,  with  a  door  only  at  one  end,  is,  wdien  filled  with 
sloping  banks  of  all  the  various  spring-floAvering  bulbous  genera, 
arranged  in  bold  harmonised  masses,  a  sight  of  great  resplendency 
and  grandeur.  W^e  commend  a  display  of  this  nature,,  as  we  also' 
commend  the  arrangement  of  such  a  collection  as  the  illustration 
.shoAvs., 
Dog’s-tooth  Violets. 
Erythronium  Dens-canis,  the  Dog’s-tooth  Violet,  is  a  hardy 
bulbous  irerennial,  remarkable  for  having  leaves  beautifully 
marked  Avitli  Avhite  and  bronze.  The  flowers  are  of  mixed  colours. 
Dog’s-tooth  Violets  are  better  adapted  for  outdoor  treatment 
than  indoor,  and  are  admirable  for  growing  on  a  rockery  or  a 
front  position  in  an  herbaceous  border,  as  well  as  for  edging  beds 
filled  with  spring  flow'ers.  The  compost  best  suiting  them  is 
sandy  loam  and  leaf. soil,  intermixed  with  peat.  The  bulbs  should 
be  planted  at  once,  4in  deep  and  2in  apart,  in  bold  groups  for 
rockeries  and  borders,  and  in  lines  for  edging  beds.  They  will 
also  thrive  under  the  .shade  of  trees,  hence  their  value  for  the 
Avild  garden,  where  they  can  remain  as  a  permanent  feature. 
Their  value  as  pot  plants  is  not  very  great,  though  they  will 
succeed  in  a  cold  house.  Pot  the  bulbs  now  an  inch  apart  in 
5in  pots,  and  place  at  once  in  cold  frame,  Avhere  they  may  remain 
until  advanced  in  groAvth  and  shoAving  flow'ers,  Avhich  will  be  in 
February  or  March. — D. 
Lilium  Harris!. 
The  Bermuda  or  Easter  Lily,  Lilium  Harris!,  is  largely  used 
for  forcing.  Good,  firm,  healthy  bulbs  should  be  procured  and 
potted  noAv,  so  that  they  may  have  a  long  season  of  steady 
growth  under  cool  conditions  rather  than  attempting  to  force 
them  along  in  heat  after  late  potting.  One  bulb  is  sufficient  for 
a  Sin  or  Gin  pot.  The  compost  most  suitable  is  simply  three  parts 
of  good,  fibrous  loam,  and  one  of  leaf  soil,  w'ith  .sand  added. 
Drain  the  pots  efficiently,  and  half  fill  w’ith  compost,  on  w'hich 
irlace  the  bulb,  covering  Avith  half  an  inch  of  soil.  This  Avill  be 
amjDle  until  groAvth  commences.  The  best  place  for  the  pots  at 
first  is  a  cold  frame  or  cool  house,  and  so  long  as  the  soil  remains 
moist,  no  Avater  will  be  required,  but  afford  it  as  necessary  after 
groAvth  begins.  On  the  shoot  attaining  3in  in  length,  top-dress 
W'ith  a  mixture,  of  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  manure  in  equal  parts, 
leaving  room  below'  the  rim  of  the  pot  to  supply  Avater.  Keep  the 
plants  near  the  light  in  order  that  the  growth  does  not  become 
draw'll.  Do  not  force  them  until  necessary,  then  commencing 
gradually  at  SOdeg,  but  not  exceeding  65deg.  The  watering 
must  not  be  neglected.  The  plants  w’hen  in  full  growth  will 
apiireciate  a  little  weak  stimulant.  When  in  bloom  give  cool 
treatment. — E.  D.  S. 
