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TH

259 261

HE picking of the great Plum crop is now finished, and there is time for giving attention to other departments of the fruit industry. A great deal of nonsense has appeared in the daily papers about the glut of Plums and the prices realised for the fruit. In consequence of the slowness of the ripening season, until nearly the end of it the picking was spread over an unusually long time, and on this account the glut of Plums was prevented from assuming disastrous dimensions. Reports from Evesham state that all the crop, not excepting that of the common Egg Plums, was gathered and sold, although part of it, and particularly Egg Plums, sold at very low prices. As usual, London was about the worst market in England, and, no doubt, Saturday's clearing prices were occasionally as low as those stated in some sensational reports. But no regular quotation was lower than 6d. per half-sieve, and only a very small proportion of the fruit-chiefly consisting of Egg Plums --was disposed of at such an unsatisfactory price. I tried London on two occasions, and they were enough for me, the return for

the second lot being only Is. per half-sieve of 28lb., with commission and all other marketing expenses to be afterwards deducted. I began to market Rivers' Early Prolific when the fruits were half-coloured at 2s. 6d. per sieve, and they realised 3s. 6d. when they were fully coloured, and finally 2s. The variety Czar started at 2s. 3d, and 2s. 6d. for parts of the same consignment, but nearly all made the latter price afterwards. Victorias began when half-coloured at 1s. 9d., went up to 2s. 3d. for one lot, but they were mostly sold at Is. 6d., excepting a consignment sent to London which was disposed of

at is.

The crop of this variety, although much the heaviest, brought in less money per acre than any other sort, excepting Gisborne, the latter fetching only is. to 1s. 6d. per halfsieve. Monarchs made 2s. 3d. to 3s., and Pond's Seedling mostly 3s., while Damsons brought in only is. 6d. These are low prices it is true, and where heavy rail charges have to be deducted the profit left after paying these and the commission, and after deducting the cost of picking, packing, and carting to the station, is extremely small. Still, considering the enormous bulk of the crop, the returns are better than might have been expected.

Apples are making moderate prices, considering how poor the quality is as a rule; but the rates are low in relation to the deficiency of the crop. Probably this is a season in which it will pay to hold back Apples that will keep well, if any are capable of doing so. This proviso is necessary on account of doubts as to the keeping qualities of the fruit, which seems this year to rot more quickly than usual. Apples that will keep are likely to make high prices, as not only is the home crop a very small one, but the American crop is also below the average. The Report of the American Department of Agriculture indicates the Apple crop as being only about half that of last season.

In an article published in these columns on July 27 reference was made to the tremendous and persistent attack of the aphis as being mainly responsible for the deficient size of Apples generally and for the large proportion of dwarfed and unsaleable fruit.

Among the numerous fungal attacks of the season, Plum leaf rust (Puccinia pruni) is strikingly noticeable now. The under sides of nearly all the leaves of my varieties of Plums and Damsons are covered with tiny black or dark-brown spots, and many trees have lost almost all their foliage. Some Damson trees were leafless before the fruit was picked, and the fruit on them was very small.

Cob Nuts are selling very badly this season. Last year I made 5d. per pound of quite green nuts, while the recent rates have been only 3d. to 3d. per pound. The crop was a good one, except where it was exposed to the cold winds which so seriously damaged the Apple blossom. Evidently Cobs like a sheltered situation.

A recent operation has been that of cutting the bindings of budded stocks of Apples, Pears, and Plums. Contrary to the experience of last season, when the weather was too hot and dry during the budding period, the success has proved highly satisfactory. As the grafting done last March and April was even more successful, the nursery plot is

one of the most satisfactory parts of the farm.

In Mr. F. V. Theobald's valuable Report on Economic Zoology for 1906-7 (Headley Brothers, Ashford; 2s. 6d.), recently received, there is a good deal about the woolly aphis, or "American blight," as it is often called. The author writes of the attack of this pest upon the roots of Apple trees. No doubt, this form of attack is very serious where it occurs, but, although I have had, and still have, an immense amount of trouble with the pest in my nursery plot, extremely little root attack has been found. In taking up trees sufficient to stock nine acres in the last two autumns, I did not find more than a score instances of root attack. These, unless good trees, were burnt; but good ones had their roots immersed in a strong solution of soft soaf or paraffin emulsion, and this treatment probably completely annihilated the pest, which, fortunately, is not known to produce eggs below ground. At any rate, in going over about 2,500 young trees planted in the autumns of 1905 and 1906, although woolly aphis was found close to the ground in a few instances, the scraping away of the earth failed to disclose any attack below the ground level. Moreover, fewer than a score of the trees were found attacked in any part, in spite of the fact that the pest had been prevalent among them before they were transplanted. This fact indicates that woolly aphis may be eradicated by persistent efforts to destroy it, and nurserymen should be ashamed of sending out infected trees or stocks. My farm was entirely free from the pest until I imported it on some crab stocks from a large nursery. It is necessary to go over the attacked trees or stocks at least once a week, applying an insecticide to the several colonies of the aphis with a small brush, and twice a week is better. I have found undiluted methylated spirit by far the best insecticide for this purpose, because of its re. markable penetrative capacity. On the other hand, soft soap solution with or without quassi, or paraffin emulsion, will run off a woolly colony instead of into it unless well brushed in, but methylated spirit saturates it in a moment, and kills the aphis instantly. Dilution impairs the penetrative quality of the spirit. It is somewhat expensive to use, but one apolication of it, in my opinion, is better than two or three applications of any other insecticide that I have tried. If only it were cheap enough to use as a spray for the leafcurling aphis on Apples and Plums, it would probably be found effective where every other insecticide fails, because of its great penetrative capacity. But even if it would kill the aphis when diluted with four times its volume of water, it would still be far too expensive to use on a large scale.

The past season has been a splendid one for promoting the growth of young Apple trees, those planted nearly two years ago and those put in last autumn alike. Both have done far better than the former did in 1906, when the summer was too dry.

Among the trees planted last autumn, one row was left not cut back, while all the rest were cut back shortly before the buds began to burst, in the following March. Already I am pretty well satisfied that this small trial will be the last I shall need to make, as the

trees not cut back appear to be forming fruitbuds right up their long and thinly-disposed young branches, and I am not sure that I shall find a wood bud on some of the branches to which to prune. The trees that were cut back, on the contrary, have branched out well, and their buds are mainly wood buds, as it is desirable that they should be until the young trees are well furnished with branches. Working Grower..

HIPPEASTRUMS

IN AMERICA. (Concluded from page 242.) HIPPEASTRUM VITTATUM can only be grown here successfully by giving it a considerable amount of attention. This is due, perhaps, to its deciduous nature and its peculiar root system. The sandy nature of the soil appears not to be to its taste, or the humidity of the climate may be against it. All the H. vittatum hybrids are poor growers here, and cannot be recommended.

H. RUTILUM, VAR. EQUESTRIFORME, grows as well here as H. equestre, provided it is planted in very rich moist soil in a halfshady place. In soil very rich in humus it multiplies rapidly by stolons which appear all around the bulb.

In

H. RUTILUM, VAR. CROCATUM (which seems to be identical with Amaryllis croceum grandiflorum) is also a stoloniferous kind, bearing light, saffron-coloured flowers. many gardens it is common, but it is not very showy. It requires rich soil and a shady place.

H. SOLANDRIFLORUM, VAR. CONSPICUUM.— The well-known plant collector, Carlos Werckle (after whom Hildalgoa Wercklei was named), sent me, some years ago, a number of bulbs from Costa Rica where this kind is a common garden plant. A German gardener, the late Mr. Pfan, if I am not mistaken, had introduced this Amaryllis in large numbers into cultivation in Europe. From these importations, which were received by Haage and Schmidt of Erfurt, the beautiful coloured plate in Regel's Gartenflora (Pl. 949) was drawn. I wrote Mr. Werckle asking him to keep his eyes on the Hippeastrums in Costa Rica. He reported that only H. vittatum was cultivated in the gardens of San José. He sent me, however, a few bulbs, and I saw at once when unpacking them that they were not those of H. vittatum, as the tunics were entirely blackish, whereas in H. vittatum they are of a very light colour. A few weeks later the bulbs were in bloom, and they proved to be identical with the variety figured in Gartenflora. Later on he sent me more bulbs. The plant grows exceedingly well here in Florida, is deciduous, and flowers late in April when most other Hippeastrums have finished, pushing up its blunt, glaucous leaves after the flowers are expanded. The flowering scape attains to a height of from 36 to 40 inches, and develops a magnificent umbel of from six to eight very long-tubed flowers which are white suffused with pink, and are heavily lined with deep crimson, and are strongly and deliciously fragrant. This Amaryllis is one of my favourites, and I have used it largely in cross-breeding. A cross from this and Enchantress resulted in a few rather short-tubed, widely-open flowers -much more beautiful in every respect than Enchantress. These were again crossed

with Madonna and Holloway Belle, and thus I obtained a race of light-coloured, shorttubed, broad-petalled and vigorous kinds, with a very strong perfume. Some of these flowers are 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Crosses between this variety and Empress of India, Southey, and other kinds with red flowers, were inferior to their parents, and experiments along this line were discontinued.

The true species HIPPEASTRUM SOLANDRIFLORUM, which I received from the late Dr. A. Ernst, of Caracas, is inferior to the variety, and, as it is a very tender plant and difficult to manage, I never used it in crossbreeding.

H. LEOPOLDII.-This I have employed several years in cross-breeding, but finally lost it and was unable to obtain it again. A new consignment of fresh bulbs from its habitat in the Peruvian Andes would be welcomed by all lovers of these beautiful plants. I have raised quite a number of hybrids from this plant, and also from other show varieties of Amaryllis on which I used its pollen.

H. PARDINUM seems to vary a good deal, not only in colour, but also in constitution. Some are very weak growers, while others are quite vigorous. My success in using its pollen in my experiments is scarcely worth mentioning. A fresh supply from its home in the Andes of Peru would be a boon to the hybridizer. We scarcely know anything from whence these two last-named gems among Hippeastrums came, where they grow, at what altitude, in shady or sunny places, in rich or poor soil, and when they flower.

HIPPEASTRUM AULICUM, VAR. PLATYPETALUM, and the still finer H. AULICUM, VAR. ROBUSTUM (or TETTAN!) grow exceedingly well here in the open air in leaf-mould and sand. They are fair foliage plants and very ornamental, even without flowers. The blossoms appear here in November and December, frequently at a time when our first frosts occur. At such times leaves and flower stems are cut down, but the leaves soon begin to grow again. Though the flowers are very showy, they are not well formed-from a florist's point of view-and I never had an opportunity to use them in hybridizing, for the simple reason that at this time no other Hip

peastrums are in flower.

The show Hippeastrums, particularly the fine, sturdy strain of Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, grow exceedingly well here in the open. They flower profusely, and grow luxuriantly year after year, but the grower has to keep a watchful eye on his pets all the time. During the middle of March the first broods of lubber grasshoppers (Romalea sp.) emerge from the ground in colonies of from 100 to 200, and, if not killed immediately, not a vestige of foliage,. flower scapes, or flowers would remain. Later in the season the fully-grown grasshoppers will appear from the woodlands all around, and one specimen will eat several fully-grown leaves of an Amaryllis in a wonderfully short time. Fortunately, these clumsy insects appear usually singly or in pairs, and are easily killed. No bird, not even the chickens, eat them. Later in the season the Amaryllis caterpillar would destroy all the foliage of the Hippeastrums, Hymenocallis, and many Crinums, if not picked off and destroyed. H. Nehrling, Florida.

beautiful

NOTES FROM GLASNEVIN. EUCRYPHIA PINNATIFOLIA.-This Chilian shrub is now in flower in these gardens, and although the plant is not a large specimen it is bearing numerous flowers. A half-shaded position and a soil containing much peat will be found to suit the requirements of this rather capricious subject.

CESTRUM TERMINALE (PARQUI). This is ananother Chilian plant that is flowering freely in these gardens. The plant is trained against a wall, and has been in flower for several weeks past. The inflorescences consist of panicles of light yellow-coloured flowers.

several weeks

GENISTA ÆTHNENSIS.-For past a group of this lovely Sicilian species has been much admired for its flowers. The habit is exceptionally graceful, and the plant is extremely floriferous. The branches are slender and somewhat pendulous, and the bushes attain to a height of 10 feet or more. The colour of the flower is a clear shade of yellow.

CLEMATIS INTERMEDIA.-This species is one of the most satisfactory for gardens of the Clematis grown at Glasnevin. The habit of growth is strong, and the branches produce an abundance of light blue-coloured, medium-sized flowers. Clematis intermedia forms a good subject for training on a pergola or trellis-work.

CLEMATIS HENDERSONII is a similar habited plant to the foregoing, but the flowers are of a darker colour. This species is also a desirable garden plant, and does not die off similar tɔ grafted plants of showy flowering kinds.

PHORMIUM TENAX PURPUREUM.-A noble clump of this fine variety of New Zealand flax grows by the side of a stream which skirts the lower part of the arboretum in these gardens. At the present time it is throwing up numerous flower-spikes, many of which are already 10 to 12 feet in height. None of the flowers is expanded. This Phormium is suitable for planting by the water-side in gardens, the climate of which is sufficiently mild for it to withstand the winter.

NYMPHEAS. Perhaps the finest feature in Glasnevin at the present time is the collectica of hardy Nymphæas in flower. The majority of the best sorts known to cultivation are grown in a shallow serpentine pond, that has a setting of green grass which slopes to the water's edge. The varieties include N. Marliacea albida, N. M. carnea, N. Gladstoniana, N. atropurpurea, N. Ellisonii, N. Laydekeri purpurea, N. Robinsoniana, N. chromatella, and the tiny N. pyg mæa helvolla. J. W. Besant, Glasnevin.

THE ADVANTAGES OF AUTUMN

PLANTING.

IN more than one respect there is an advantage in autumn-planting over that done in the spring. The work is sometimes delayed until the latter period because the planter considers that the summer growing season following immediately upon planting it must have a good effect. This is not always so, however, with many subjects, and particularly with fruit trees and bushes. The spring often sees warm showers and sunshine alternate with frost. quently in April, and, indeed, in the beginning of May, frosty nights and cold blasts are experienced, and these prove detrimental to recently-planted trees, especially when the cold is followed almost immediately with a spell of dry, hot weather. The soil at that season just below the surface is still cold after the winter's low temperature, causing the roots to remain

inactive.

Too fre

A few warm, sunny days, however, will be sufficient to excite both wood and flowerbuds into growth from nourishment stored up in the woods in the previous season. This reserve of food is very limited, and is quickly exhausted. If bulbous plants are placed direct into greit

beat and excessive moisture, the resultant leafgrowth soon exhausts the sap in the bulb; the latter then withers, and no bloom is forthcoming for the simple reason that root action was rt encouraged previous to forcing.

The same conditions rule in transplanting trees and shrubs, and in every case one should first consider how to preserve the roots so that they receive very little or no check, and, secondly, how they may become established again in the new soil and situation in the least possible time. If this is accomplished successfully, there need be little fear as to the top growth doing well, since the foundation for the production of this has already been achieved. It is surprising how new roots will develop in a month or more in the case of a tree or shrub newly planted, say, early in November. When the planting has been properly carried out, and the roots embedded in fine friable soil, a mass of new white fibrous roots will be found permeating the fresh compost, and this notwithstanding top growth has been almost dormant since the planting. This I have proved to be so from pracucal observation, and especially in connection with fruit trees in pots. Some trees that were turned out of their pots early in autumn for repotting were plunged in a light soil, to enable the pots to be prepared for their reception again. The work was interrupted, and the plants remained plunged for a longer period than was intended, and on moving them a mass of new Its was seen. This proves that the roots of fruit trees will remain active, providing the conditions are favourable, after the foliage has fallen. A point of importance to observe in planting trees is to afford the roots a fine compost, not necessarily of a rich description, but rather of a light, gritty and porous nature. Too frequently rough, lumpy soil is placed around the roots of newly-planted trees, and the cavities 1rmed in the soil favours the admission of frost and drying winds, which injure the young root-fibres. A few spadefuls of a finely-divided compost should always be placed amongst the roots of newly-planted trees and shrubs. After the planting is finished, water should be afforded if the soil is dry: a top-dressing of half-decayed leaves is preferable to the use of rank manure. Richard Parker.

EUCRYPHIA CORDIFOLIA

CAVANILLES.

THE subject of our illustration at fig. 109 was received from Mr. W. E. Gumbleton, of Queenstown, Ireland. It forms a fine shrub with dark persistent foliage, and bears beautiful white Blossoms. It is a native of Chili, and seems to have been first flowered in this country by Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, at Coombe Wood, in 1897. A figure appeared in the Gardeners' Chronicle for October 9, 1897, which was drawn from a specimen supplied by Messrs. Veitch, and we understand at the plant which forms the subject of the present notice was also obtained from the Coombe Wood Nurseries. Its special interest lies in the way in which the leaves have come to differ from the typical form, as originally figured in our columns. Comparison with specimens at Kew and the Natural History Museum leaves, however, ro doubt as to the identity of the plant with E. rdifolia, for although the leaves are commonly much blunter and more rounded at the apex, herbarium specimens show that the plant varies omewhat in this respect, and in Cavanilles' Icones, plate 372, the pointed leaves, so characteristic of the Irish plant, are clearly shown to Dccur along with others more oval in outline. The shrub is quite hardy in Mr. Gumbleton's garden, where it is growing near, but not trained on, i wall, and reaches a height of 10 feet.

HARDY PLANT BORDER.

PENTSTEMONS.

THE value of Pentstemons for summer and early autumn decoration in the garden has been especially seen this season. The range of colouring in the different varieties enables the planting of beds with almost any colour, or they may be blended to produce a good effect. A variety especially suitable for massing in beds or in borders is George Horne, with its stately spikes of brilliant crimson-coloured flowers, which are white in the throat, and its deep green foliage.

GARDENKON~.)

lights are removed and the plants are fully exposed. In the autumn' the growths are cut down to within a few inches of the soil, a mulch is applied for protection, and in the following spring several shoots push from the base of each plant. Grown in this manner they give a free crop of flowers.

Pentstemons are easy of propagation. Cuttings inserted in September or early in October in sandy soil in a cold frame that is kept close root readily, and the plants are ready for planting out the following April. Some cultivators of Pentstemons prefer raising their plants from

[graphic]

9.x.600.

FIG. 109.-EUCRYPHIA CORDIFOLIA: FLOWERS WHITE.

If a pale pink variety is required, Lady Curzon, with pale pink edging on a white ground, may be selected. Rachael is still the nearest approach to a white variety in this flower.

One almost wishes Pentstemons were quite hardy, for if they could be retained in the border over the winter, they would produce a wealth of flowers early in the season. When growing new varieties on trial, I usually retain the most promising plants, and flower them in their second year. They are first planted out in a cold frame, but later in the season the

seeds each year out of considerations for space, but those propagated from cuttings of well. known and approved sorts are the most satis. factory.

The varieties of Pentstemons are very numer. ous, and amongst the best of the newer kinds with their colours are:-Hilda Stevenson, a variety having tall, strong flower-spikes, a deep shade of rose-pink in colour, but with a pure white throat. Mrs. D. McOmish, in colour bright scarlet, with crimson-chocolate striped throat, a very showy and strong growing

variety. Lady Morrison Bell, flowers of a bright crimson colour, with a cinnamon margined throat, and developed on tall spike. Jesse Forbes, white, with an edging of pale rose and a pure white throat. Charles Lunn, rosy crimson, throat heavily margined with chocolate. Mrs. Alexander Brown, rich crimson, white throat. Sir Dighton Probyn, intensely dark crimson, with puce-coloured stripes in the throat. Colonel Hope, white, margined with rosy-scarlet, a very choice variety. Alexander Brown, claret-coloured tube and white throat. Thomas W. Cuthbertson, rosy pink (the large open throat is margined with chocolate). William Bull, rosy scarlet, with chocolate throat. Mrs. Robertson, deep rose, fading to pale pink on the margin, bells closely set on a compact spike. John Michie, deep crimson, with a richly-striped crimson throat. Thomas Hay, the flowers are fully 2 inches in diameter, rosy scarlet in colour, with a deep crimson mottled throat. Mrs. Ovens, violet-purple, with a crimson-chocolate throat. Lady Clementine Waring, the "bells" of this variety measure 2 inches in length; they are of a deep rosy crimson colour, the throat is flushed with magenta. Mrs. Lucking, this variety has extra large flowers that are deep rose in colour, and with a clear white throat. John Lamont, the long, narrow tube is a clear shade of crimson, with an expanded white throat. This is an improvement upon the variety George Horne or Lord Lister. John Forbes, violet-purple, chocolate throat. Marconi, white in the throat, the "bells" spotted with crim. son, and margined with rose. Lord Rothschild, rose-pink, the throat veined with crimson. Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain, rose-pink, with a pure white throat. Mrs. Wigan, cream, with a pink margin. All these varieties have been raised by Mr. John Forbes, Hawick.

Another person who has devoted much time to the improvement of these flowers is Mr. E. Beckett, Aldenham House Gardens, and his newer kinds are: Lord Kitchener, with flowers 24 inches in diameter, coloured rosy magenta, with a clear white throat. Wm. Fyfe, crimson-maroon, flushed with rose on the edge, and with a pure white throat; this variety pro duces the largest flower-spike of all, the bells " are 2 inches in diameter. Fascination, this variety grows fully 4 feet high; it is purplecrimson in colour, with a few stripes and blotches of crimson in its white throat. Earl of Minto, dark crimson on outer surface, and with crimson-striped, a chocolate-coloured throat. Gertrude Saunders, soft rose, with a pure white throat; an effective variety for planting in a mass. Nulli Secundus, flowers a rich shade of scarlet; the habit of growth is free. Maxima, a variety having extra large, bright scarlet flowers; the plant is of strong growth.' Red Splendour, bright red, with scarlet-striped throat; a vigorous growing variety. Aldenham Pride, large, rosy pink flowers, and throat blotched and striped with crimson. Rosalba, the outer surface of the flower is coloured rose, the inside, pale creamy white; the habit is compact, the growth free. Burston Beauty, dark red, with a deeply-striped throat. Painted Lady, flowers bright scarlet, with a heavilystriped throat; a variety of robust growth. Virgin Queen, creamy white, height, 4 feet. Henry Irving, rich red exterior, and throat heavily marked with chocolate; a vigorous growing variety. Cinderella, this variety is exceptionally free in flowering, the flowers are rosy violet in colour with a white throat. E Molyneux.

ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS.

CYPRIPEDIUM BELLATULUM HYBRID. A FLOWER of a hybrid Cypripedium, said to have been obtained by crossing C. bellatulum and C. Beechense (Curtisii x superbiens) is sent us by Mr. W. Thorpe, gardener to J. W. Collett, Esq., Hillfield, Gloucester. As might be

expected, it closely resembles the lighter form of C. Chapmanii (bellatulum x Curtisii), the variety magnificum of which is illustrated in the Gardeners' Chronicle, June 5, 1897, p. 365. The flower sent, however, has narrower petals and with a whiter ground colour. The dorsal sepal is pale green, with a white margin and radiating purple lines from the base. The petals are white, with a greenish tinge at the base, the whole being spotted with dark purple; the staminode and face of the lip is dull, purplishrose colour.

CIRRHOPETALUM APPENDICULATUM VARIETY FASCINATOR.

A VERY attractive form of the type is now flowering in the collection of Jeremiah Colman, Esq., Gatton Park (gr. Mr. W. P. Bound). Compared with the original form for which Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., was awarded a Botanical Certificate at the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting on November 26, 1898, and which was illustrated in the Gardeners' Chronicle, December 10, 1898, p. 415, the variety Fascinator differs chiefly in the purple colour of the basal half of the lower sepals, which in Sir Trevor Lawrence's plant was spotted with purple on a cream-white ground. It bears solitary flowers about 8 inches in length, the lower sepals representing the greater part. The concave upper sepal is whitish, marked with purple, and bears at the apex a purple plume on a filiform base. The petals, which are similarly decorated with purple plumes, are white with purple lines, both sepals and petals having the outer halves fringed. The lip is purplish-crimson, and the closely-approached lower sepals whitish, the basal half purple on the face, and spotted with purple on the thin, tendril-like outer halves. The species is figured in King and Pantlin's Orchids of the Sikkim Himalaya as Cirrhopetalum ornatissimum, but that species, which was illustrated in the Gardeners' Chronicle, November 4, 1898, has an umbel of flowers, and is very dis tinct from C. appendiculatum.

HERBACEOUS SPIREAS.
(Concluded from page 244.)

S. DECUMBENS (S. procumbens).--This is an Alpine species, and one that forms a thick carpet of lobed leafage from underground stolons. The flowers are pure white, 6 inches in height, and appear like minute blossoms of S. filipendula. S. decumbens delights to ramble among broken rocks in the freest possible manner in a rocky recess, or to form a low patch at the foot of a boulder. The root system is shallow, hence droughts affect the plant in poor soils.

S. DIGITATA. There is a small Spiræa in cultivation which came to us, probably from Siberia by way of Japan, and has borne the name S. lobata for several years. The true S. lobata is the S. venusta of gardens, and there is no connection between the two plants. Lately it has been referred to as S. digitata, a plant known to me from published descriptions only, and the misnamed S. lobata is now regarded as a dwarf-habited form of S. digitata. It forms a close tuft of palmately-lobed leaves 6 inches high, and produces pretty red flattened cymes of rather large flowers on ruddy stems scarcely a foot high. Its rich green leafage and showy flowers are very attractive, and as the plant grows exceedingly well and flowers freely, it should become popular. It is rather rare, and its propagation is somewhat slow.

S. FILIPENDULA (Dropwort). The doubleflowered form of this British species is extensively grown in gardens. The leafage is elegantly pinnate, and the flowers in the type are creamy white, and developed in loose cymes. The size and colouring of the flowers vary in the wild forms, and I have collected two plants with very large flowers on the Mendip Hills. One of these was pure white, the other creamy tinted. I have the plants now, but have not

succeeded in inducing them to flower under cultivation. The double variety is a useful and attractive border plant, at its best during July, but when well cultivated one or two flower-heads are almost always present.

S. HACQUETII is a rare Tyrolean species of trailing habit, and is best described as a carpeting plant for the rock-garden. It forms a thin mat of hairy leafage that is studded at midsummer with tiny white flowers developed on dainty flattened panicles.

S. LOBATA (venusta).-This species is the pink-flowered Spiræa that is so widely known as S. venusta. It is a beautiful species, with elegant leafage, the side lobes of which resemble an Elm leaf in shape, the terminal lobe that of the Sycamore. The leaf cluster exceed- 2 feet in length, the flowering stems 5 feet, and both leaf stalks are ruddy tinted. The flowers are produced in flattened cymes, the central cluster terminating the growth, whilst two lateral clusters rear themselves 6-12 inches above the central one, and there one or two smaller lateral clusters are developed from the uppermost leaves. This plant has somewhat the habit of our native Meadow-sweet, but the inflorescence is altogether finer and coloured a rich rosecarmine, "shot" with pink. The late Rev. Wolley Dod reared several seedling forms of this plant, and these are now becoming general in cultivation. Seedling variations embrace flowers of all shades of rose and carmine. The species is a native of North America. Few plants can surpass S. lobata in elegance of outline and beauty of flowers. The plant succeeds in any good soil.

S. PALMATA.-This Japanese plant is now common in gardens. The flowers are coloured a bright crimson and are arranged in flattened heads, which surmount the palmately-lobed and elegant foliage. The plant forms a grand subject for planting by the waterside, and it will thrive with its roots perpetually submerged. A well-tilled border is also a suitable place for its planting. There is a pretty white-flowered variety known as alba, having pale green foliage, and the contrast with the type plant is very pronounced. Other varieties exist, including S. p. elegans, a strong-growing form, and often exceeding 3 feet in height. The plume-like inflorescence is pale rose in colour. This variety should be planted in every garden. There is a form known as purpurea, with ruddy leaf colour. ing, and another named maxima. This lastnamed is undoubtedly of hybrid origin, and either S. lobata or S. Ulmaria, with S. palmata, are the parents. Its leaf system resembles that of typical S. Ulmaria, with the exception of the glaucous reverse. The inflorescence is that of a glorified S. Ulmaria, but of pale rosy colouring. As a border plant it is a grand subject, and quickly forms a huge clump with 10 to 20 flower-heads.

S. PECTINATA. - - This procumbent-habite i species is a native of the Rocky Mountains. The acutely-lobed leaves and interlacing stems form a mat-like growth that is sparsely covered with pretty heads of white flowers that are reared just above the foliage. S. pectinata is not a commo plant in gardens.

S. ULMARIA (the Meadow Sweet).-A British species found in marshy sites everywhere. The double-flowered form is a splendid garden plant: a few clumps planted three years ago have now huge sheaves of snow-white flowers, and they are superlatively beautiful. The double-flowered form has not the attenuated habit of the wilding, but is vigorous-even robust-in comparison. Although quite common in some districts, it is not planted half so extensively as its merits deserve. It thrives well in any good soil, and is a most accommodating plant. There are two forms of the type with variegated leaves. One form has golden vent tion, the other is heavily variegated with yellow throughout. This latter is the common varie gated form of gardens. G. B. Mallell.

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