MISCELLANEOUS. BULB CATALOGUES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 8

MISCELLANEOUS. BULB CATALOGUES.

Spring flowering and other bulbs are snch an attractive feature of garden work that it is now thought worth while by many florists to, devote s special catalogue' to their enumeration. The first of the season's catalogues comes to hand this - week from Messrs E. Horton and Co., Haymarket, Sydney, and a very complete catalogue it is. The frontispiece is a combination of the most recent novelties in the bulb line entwined in the form of a floral border. Uany of the flowers are so quaintly marked and shaped that they resemble orchids almost as much as lilies, &o, The list itself is well worth

studying for the novelties it contains ; but whether Sydney-grown bulbs would be as satisfactory in our temperate climate as they are in the warmth of their habitat by adoption is somewhat questionable. The hardier ones would no doubt do well enough, but those of a tenderer nature would find the change somewhat trying. BOMAN HYACINTHS. Plant Roman hyacinths in pots. Place one bulb in a sin or three in a 6in pot. Use a compost of two parts good loamy soil, one part decayed manure, and half a part sand. Cover the pots with fine ashes or cocoanut-fibre refuse at the base of a shady wall or in a cold frame, and give no water until growth begins. TTJFTED PANSIES. One of the great advantages of the lufted pansy, or viola, is it persistents blooming. All that is necessary is to go over the plants once a week and remove all dead flowers and seedpods, should there be any, and the flowering will be almost perpetual. Autumn planting has many advantages. Cuttiugs should be taken from the base of the old stools, care being taken to avoid takiog any from the hollow stems of the old growths. APPLES IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND. The French ii the only European Government that maintains an orchard for the special cultivation of the apple. It if in the garden of I the Luxembourg, in a snug corner, and' well protected by being completely railed in. Two hundred and fifty varieties are cultivated, and ' hither come all the, pomologitta of France for ! cuttings. When the fruit in this Government apple orchard is ripe it is divided into four lots. j The finest fourth is sent to the President of the ! Republic, and figures at the official dinners of I the season. The second is for the Prefect of the Seine ; the third for the Military Hospital in Paris ; and the fourth goes to the large restaurants of Paris.- There are 180 000 acres f of apple orchards in the United Kingdom, pro- > ducing 100,000 tons <f fruit, realising about £10 per ton ; a ton of fair quality will make from 100 to 200 gallons of cider- of which 12,000,000 gallons are produced annually. The average consumption of apple* per head of population ia lllb ; this entaili the importation of from 900 000 to 1,000,000 barrels yearly from other sou.ces. SOHB FBAQRANT PLANTS. J. L. asks for some fr* grant plants for the open air. The following are among the best : — j Abelia, abronia, yarrow, sweet flag, horse ; chestnut, sweet verbena, alyssum, belladonna lily, balm of Gi!esd, almond, andromeda, St. Bruno's Hly, sweet vernal grass, columbine, I . woodruff, azalea, balm, Bcugtnansia, allspice, I carnation, sweet sultan, wallflower, cherry pie, winter aweefc, Mexican orange flower, rock rofe, clematis, elethra, sweet fern bush, lily of the 1 valley, primroses, cowslips, polyanthus, hawi thorn, crinum, crocus (some), cyclamen, M<za- | reon, day lily, deuizia, burning bush, American : ' cowslip, mayflower, evenirjgprimrose. Forsythin, i strawberry, gladiolus (some kind*), grape ; hyacinth, heartsease, rocket, hyacinth, iris, ' jasmine, laburnum (some), sweet pea, sweet bay, lavender, snowflake, lilac, lily, lime, limnanthes, swinflower, tulip tree, honeysuckle, lupins, magnolia, night-scented stock, meadow sweet, mignonette, mask, marvel of Peru, bee I balm, morina, sweet gale, sweet cicely, myrtle, | narcissus, water lilies, preony, pancratium, I pelargonium, winter heliotrope, mock orange, ' phlox, tuberose, auricula, winter green, apples, < crabs, and orchard fruits, rhododendrons, flowering currant, Californian poppy, rose, rosemary, flowering brambles, willows, sweet scabious, blue bells, southernwood, sty rax, sweetwilliam, thyme, tulips (some), violet?, vine, wistaria.