GENTIANA FARRERI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20312, 21 January 1928, Page 3

GENTIANA FARRERI.

Mr A. Harley, Blinkbonny, Kirkcaldy, Scotland, contributes to the Gardeners’ Chronicle an interesting article on the growing of Gentiana Farreri, which we reproduce. The article in the Chronicle is accompanied by an illustration, which shows a great mass of bloom on Mr Harley’s plants, and local garden lovers may like to try their success with this species of the gentian. Seeds should, no doubt, be procurable by local nurserymen it they do not keep them in stock. Gentiana Farreri is succeeding well in my garden in Perthshire. The plants were raised from seeds sown in the spring of 1925. Some of the plants flowered last year, but during the present summer they have increased in growth very much, as shown by the photograph These plants were raised from specially-selected seeds taken from plants which have very large flowers, with the result that nearly all of the seedlings have given exceptionally large blooms. When raising the species from seeds, I find a great variation in the colour of the flowers, from very light to dark blue. Gentiana Farreri requires a much more moist soil than that in which G. sinoornata will grow. For the last four or five years I have been experimenting in growing G. Farreri in different parts of my garden, and find it succeeds and flowers best in full sun, but in soil that is always moist, even in a very dry summer. The plants are growing on the level, in a peaty soil which is full of stones that ensure good drainage. Some growers of this gentian find that the foliage of their plants turns brown before tb e flowers open ; but I think if they were to grow it in a moist, well-drained soil they would succeed much belter. G. Farrerj should always be raised from seeds, as the seedlings have a far better constitution thab plants raised from cuttings, and it is very interesting to sec the varin•tions in the way of colour and size of bloom. Seeds sown in early spring will germinate very freely in about 10 days, and if the seedlings are pricked out into boxes and finally planted out when the plants have grown a little, most of (hem will flower the following autumn.