Xovember  26,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
485 
Epigaea  repens  (Mayflower,  Ground  Laurel,  or  Trailing  Arbutus). 
On  the  inountain.s  of  Pennsylvania  this  hardy  evergreen  shrub 
seems  to  grow  in  luxuriance.  Its  beautiful  white  flowers  tinged 
with  red  exhale  a  rich  spicy  fragrance,  and  blooming  in  May 
as  it  does  it  breaks  the  monotony  before  summer  has  scarcely 
proved  her  presence  with  us.  This  species  thrives  best  in  peat 
soil  and  in  shady  situations,  and  many  northern  aspects  would 
be  quite  suitable  for  its  existence.  Some  healthj^  patches  of  it 
are  to  be  seen  in  the  Wisley  Garden. 
Berried  Solanums. 
Solanum  capsicastrum  (Jerusalem  Clierry)  and  Celestial  Pep¬ 
pers  otiglit  to  be  well  berried  by  this  time.  The  fruit  hangs  on 
for  a  long  time  and  is  now  assuming  its  many-coloured  hues. 
Give  the  plants  plentj^  of  room  to  keep  the  lower  leaves  from 
falling,  and  if  they  appear  to  be  in  the  least  pot-bound  feed  with 
liquid  manure  once  a  week.  This  will  give  the  foliage  a  dark 
green  colour.  They  should  be  well  syringed  daily,  for  the  scale 
is  liable  to  infest  them,  and  is  difficult  to  dislodge  when  it  once 
gets  a  foothold.  A  temperature  of  55deg  at  night  and  the  full 
light  at  all  times  is  an  essential. 
Forcing  Spanish  Irises. 
The  following  was  given  in  answer  to  a  correspondent  of  the 
“American  Florist”  ; — We  have  never  been  able  to  force  Spanish 
Irises  successfully.  For  the  past  few  winters  we  have  tried  to 
force  a  feAV  hundreel  bulbs,  experimenting  in  different  Avays,  but 
our  efforts  liave  been  in  vain — the  bulbsi,  AAuth  the  exception  of 
a  feAV,  simply  do  not  flower.  One  batch  Ave  handled  just  as  Ave 
do  Dutch  bulbs — that  is,  Ave  planted  them  in  boxes  and  alloAved 
them  to  remain  outside  in  a  frame  until  Februai'y,  and  then  sub¬ 
jected  them  to  a  temperatui'e  of  oOdeg ;  another  batch  Ave  kept 
indoors  in  a  cool  house  of  45deg  all  through  the  Avinter ;  a  third 
batch  AA'e  placed  in  a  teanperature  of  COdeg  after  the  bulbs  AA’ere 
nicely  .started  ;  in  all  three  cases,  hoAvever,  the  bulbs  failed  to 
floAver  in  sufficient  quantity,  and  aa'c  have  finally  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  they  cannot  be  forced  successfully.  If  any  florist 
has  had  success  in  forcing  them,  Ave  should  all  be  pleased  to  hear 
of  his  method. 
Cobcea  variegata. 
This  is  a  form  of  C.  scandens  AA'hich  is  considered  one  of  the 
finest  of  climbers,  especially  good  for  indoor  Avork  and  conser- 
A'atories,  though  it  does  Avell  outside  if  .started  in  inidAvinter, 
and  plants  aa’cII  proA'*ided  AA'ith  roots  are  used  at  planting  time  in 
spring.  All  the  fine  qualities  as  a  clean,  rapid  climber  found  in 
the  old,  Avell  knoAvn  Cobcea  scandens  unite  in  this  splendid  noAv 
Anriety  AA'ith  the  additional  charm  of  its  unique  colour-variega¬ 
tion  of  foliage  and  floAA’er.  The  dark  green  leaves  are  bordered 
by  a  band  of  deep  golden  yelloAv,  becoming  almost  pure  Avhite  on 
the  matured  foliage.  If  exposed  to  the  sun  this  variegation  is 
blended  and  interlaced  Avith  delicate  red  and  violet  shades,  all 
this  exquisite  colouration  extending  from  base  to  top,  enhancing 
greatly  the  beauty  of  the  flowers.  It  is  also  claimed  that  this 
neAV  kind  in  all  its  parts  is  more  robust  and  vigorous  than  the 
old  sort,  yet  in  its  growth  and  habit  more  refined  and  graceful. 
It  Avould  seem  that  a  plant  Avith  these  attributes  Avould  soon  bo 
found  in  every  garden  and  comservatory  on  the  globe,  but  it  is 
feared  such  Avill  not  be  the  case,  as  it  may  bo  many  years  before 
plants  of  Cobcea  A^ariegata  can  be  obtained  at  anything  like  a 
reasonable  price.  It  Avas  introduced  by  J.  Veitch  and  Sons, 
I  helsea,  but  as  yet  is  not  listed  in  catalogues  of  many  groAvers, 
though  found  on  a  feAv  private  places.  Its  scarcity  is  OAving  to 
the  fact  that  this  novelty  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  to  propa¬ 
gate.  From  seeds,  as  is  the  case  Avith  all  variegated  plants, 
propagation  resulted  in  disappointment  to  the  experimenters; 
root -grafting  Avas  a  total  failure,  and  nearly  all  the  cuttings, 
taken  in  the  usual  Avay,  rotted.  Still  the  latter  method  is  the 
only  one  resorted  to,  short  stocky  shoots  furni.shing  the  largest 
percentage  of  callu,s-forming  cuttings.  About  five  out  of  100  Avill 
root.  - 
Nicotiana  Sanderiana. 
This  noAmlty  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  promising  for  general 
use,  and  Avhich  is  sure  eventually  to  find  its  Avay  into  oA'cry  park 
and  garden.  It  is  a  cross  between  Nicotiana  affinis  and  an 
unnamed  plant  of  the  same  genus.  The  floAvers  are  of  the 
brightest  carmine  red,  are  large  and  numerous,  and  la.st  fully 
tAvo  Aveeks.  One  of  the  plants  shoA\n  had  tAventy-two  floAver 
stalks  AA’ith  234  open  floAvers.  The  time  of  floAvering  is  about 
three  months. 
Floral  Desorations. 
Among  the  designs  seen  in  leading  London  West  End  shops 
recently  Avere  the  folloAving;  A  cushion  of  Avhite  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums,  fringed  AA’ith  Lily  of  the  Valley  (one  spray  in  a  single 
leaf  each),  and  a  loose  bouquet  of  pink  Carnations  AAas  poised 
on  the  lefdiand  upper  corner.  Another  design  Avas  that  of  a 
cross  furnished  Avith  grey  lichen,  AA'ith  Poinsettia  bracts  arranged 
AA’ith  Avhite  floAvers  at  the  crosspiece. 
At  Belfast  shoAV  Mes.si's.  A.  Dickson  and  Sons  had  a  miniature 
lake  bordered  by  choice  Ferns  and  dAvarf  plants,  on  Avhich  a 
floral  full-sized  SAvan  Avas  gracefully  floating.  Another  beautiful 
design  Avas  a  mirror,  exquisitely  framed  Avith  deep  yelloAv 
Chrysanthemums,  cornered  AAith  knot-trophies  of  Orchids. 
Placed  on  an  easel,  draped  in  soft  tulle,  Avith  tAvo  Avhite  birds 
on  top,  it  Avas  most  effective. 
Fuchsia  microphylla. 
It  is  AA’ith  great  pleasure  that  Ave  hail  this  old,  almost  for¬ 
gotten  favourite.  E.  J.  Peters  says:  “  GroAvcrs  of  to-day  have 
no  time,  no  room  to  spare  in  their  oAW'r.stocked  greenhou,ses,  to 
give  a  fair  and  thorough  trial  to  noAV  introductions;  one  noA’elty 
has  to  make  room  for  another,  and  that  is  throAvn  out  to  afford 
room  for  the  next.  Hoav,  then,  can  it  be  expected  that  gems 
of  the  past  like  this  one  and  many  others,  far  superior  to  ninety 
per  cent,  of  xiresent  day  noA’elties,  AA’ill  find  recognition.'^  Their 
place  in  our  greenhouses  is  occupied  by  ncAv  lAlants,  and  yet  AA’as 
there  ever  a  pot  plant  .so  thrifty,  so  floriferous,  so  beautiful  in 
its  mantle  of  hundreds  of  purplish  red  blossoms,  its  finely  cut 
foliage,  and  so  ea.sy  to  prox^agate  and  to  groAV  as  Fuchsia  micro- 
X3hylla?” 
Antirrhinums  to  Succeed  Chrysanthemums. 
According  to  “American  Gardening,”  one  of  the  most  useful 
floAvers  to  follow  the  Chry.saiithemum  is  the  Antirrhinum.  If 
the  benches  are  cleared  of  all  stock,  x^hnits  given  a  coating  of 
rotten  manure  or  fertiliser,  and  spaded  over,  the  Antirrhinums 
transferred  from  XJots  Avill  (luickly  take  hold.  If  no  x)ot  x^lants 
are  at  hand,  late  soAvn  or  rooted  plants  from  the  open  ground 
AA'ill  do  very  Avell.  Do  not  attempt  to  groAV  a  pi'omiscuous 
assortment  of  colours,  but  stick  to  one  or  tAvo  good  colours,  like 
Avhite,  yelloAv  and  pink,  pi'opagating  from  the  be.st  strain  each 
.season.  Antirrhinums  can  be  suppoi'te'd  in  the  same  AAay  as 
Carnations,  alloAving  the  cross  pieces  of  tAvine  about  three  inches 
more  Avidth.  This  Avill  be  found  better  than  tying  the  plants  to 
stakes,  Avhich  necessitates  cutting  the  ties  each  time  a  spike  is 
needed.  Nice  plants  may  also  be  groAA  n  in  5in  or  Cin  pots. 
Interchange  of  Plants. 
There  is  one  sort  of  trade,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  Avithin  the 
British  Empire  Avhich  has  not  Avaited  for  fiscal  or  any  other 
artificial  inducements  to  become  firmly  established.  It  is  related 
in  the  official  repoid  on  the  administration  of  Seychelles  last 
year  that  the  curator  of  the  Botanic  Station  had  “  personally 
conducted  ”  himself  to  Java,  Cej’lon,  and  other  lands  in  the 
tropical  belt,  to  ascertain  AA'hat  x^lants  there  groAving  could  be 
hopefully  experimented  Avith  in  his  oaa’ii  little  colony.  This 
XJrocess  is  going  on  in  most  x^arts  of  the  Emxhre ;  there  is  con¬ 
stant  exchange  betAveen  them  of  x^Iants  and  animals.  Of  course, 
many  of  these  emigrants  refuse  to  become  acclimatised  in  their 
neAV  homes,  but  in  numerous  instance.s,  brilliant  success  attends 
the  endeavour.  Australia,  for  examxfle,  is  indebted  to  the  x^i'o- 
cess  for  her  finest  fruit  and  salmon,  both  being  deri\’ed  from 
imxAortations,  Avhile  English  horses,  cattle,  and  sheep  have 
founded  illu.strious  families  in  all  the  leading  colonies  x^ossess- 
ing  congenial  climates.  On  the  other  hand,  the  gracious  bird 
AA’hich  figures  so  largely  in  the  British  menu  at  Christmas  came 
originally,  like  the  x>i’oud  x>eacock,  from  the  Ea.st.  It  seems, 
moreover,  that  English  hothouse  Pines  and  Grapes  beat  their 
foreign  ancestors'  hollow  for  cxuality ;  and  in  the  Scilly  Isles, 
some  of  the  Narcissus  groAA  ors  are  said  to  be  hopeful  of  acclima¬ 
tising  the  Banana  at  Tre.sco. — ("  Glebe.’ ) 
