HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3293, 25 April 1917, Page 8

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By J. Gebeie,

SWEET-SCENTED GREENHOUSE 'FLOWERS. Sweet-scented flowers arc ' always esteemed, and there are a considerable number of fragrant flowers available for the decoration of the greenhouse or conservatory at different periods of the year. In bulbs alone we have many sweet-scented subjects. Prominent among are hyacinths, freesias, and different polyanthus narcissi. The earliest hyacinth to bloom is the Roman, and the earlietet narcissus is the paper-white. ~ March is the best month in which to pot these early flowering bulbs to obtain early bloom. Later on come the other kinds of hyacinths and polyanthus narcissus and lily of the valley.

A few of the 2ilics are very desirable for pot culture, and are very sweetly scented. Lilium longiflorum and its varieties, with long white trumpet blooms, are very beautiful and sweetly scented, Lilium auratum has a more pronounced fragrance which is admired by some. Lilium speciosum Is a handsome lily for pot culture, but the perfume is not so marked as in L. auratum. Of theso lilies the first to flower in early summer is L. longifiorum,-then L. auratum, and afterwards L. speciosum. Of shrubby plants that flower during the winter and early spring we have tho fragrant Daphne iildica and Boronia megastigma, whose violet-liko perfume is much appreciated. As these pass out of bloom Cyticus fragrans comes into flower, and its fragrance is very pleasing. Some of the cyclamens are also sweetly scented, and the Primula family furnish us with two highly-perfumed species —P. verticillata and P. keweneis. Some of the rhododendrons,. such as R. frcgrantlsslma, makes a good plant for the green* house,' and its blooms are very fragrant* Some of the carnations are very valuable, especially tho Malmaison section, the large blooms, 3in to 4in across, being deliciously scented. During the summer months we may have the heliotrope or cherry (admired by everyone) Brugmansia knighti, with its long, white, trumpet-shaped blossoms; Bowardia humboldtii, with jasmine-liko white flowers. Of stocks, the ten-week East Lothian and intermediate may be had in bloom all the year round under glass. Among tho different subjects remarkable for the fragrance of their foliage may be mentioned the, scented verbena, a universal favourite; and the myrtle, which is a hardy evergreen, and makes a nice-pot plant. Scented-leaved pelargoniums, of which there are several varieties, are very dissimilar to each other, not only in general appearance, but also in their perfume { and, lastly, the citron-scented of the bluegum family, Eucalyptus citriodora. MANETTTA BICOLOUE,. In Manettia bicolour we have a charmingi little climber for tho greenhouse. It is a free, but not a strong, grower, while the foliage is neat, and the bright tubularshaped blossoms, in colour red and yelloW, aro borne throughout the greater part of the year. It is a native of South Amenoa-, where several other species are found; but this one only can be obtained in the nurseries, and, as far as I know, this is the beat of them. Apart from its beauty aa a greenhouse climber, little examples grown in pots and trained around a few sticks, form a very pleasing feature in that structure. 'Larger speoimens may be put out of doors during summer, the pots plunged in beds or borders. Under these conditions thoy flower continuously, and, fully exposed to sun and air,'the colour of tho blossoms is of the richest. OANNAS.

Many of the cannas are remarkable for tho beauty of their foliage, and at one £ini3 were' cultivated for their foliage alone, the flowers being rather insignificant; but of late years a race of large flowering Cannae has been introduced which axe admirably (suited for greenhouse decoration. "to M. . Crozy, a French nurseryman, wa are indebted for developing the canna as a flowering plant to an extent that wag not before anticipated. This was little more than a quarter of a century ago, /and since then new varieties have been added year after vear. The cannas are °frossfeeding plants by nature, and require to be grown in rich soil. They can be flowered in 6in pots, arid if the pots are well filled with roots a .good crop of. flowers •will result. As the flowers begin to fade <• repot into larger pots, or give, .requent doses of liquid manure or some of the many stimulating plant foods now on the market. Under this treatment they will flower well on into the autumn. .For planting in the open border the plants should be started under glass and grown on until the planting-out season (November),, when, if the weather is favourable, they will soon become established and flower freely during the summer months, and with liberal treatment, copious supplies of water during dry weather, and an occasional dose of liquid, manure, they will bloom well into autumn. On the approach of frost they should be lifted and stored in -some place out of the reach of frost until the season comes round for starting them into growth again. GAILLARDIAS. Of border plants that continue long in bloom there are few, if any, to equal the gaillardias. It has nlany good points taj recommend it. For instance, it is practically weather-proof, a valuable advantage "jn. view', of the changeable weather conditions which obtain itx our land. Under the hottest sun, when other things are drooping, gaillardias are perfectly happy, and heavy rains seem to affect them just ae little. Few flowers oan equal them as cut blooms, and on this account they are favourites for house decoration. They are beso cut before the ring of petals has become quite flat. They are easily-grown plants, and by dividing out the rootlets a stock of plants can soon be obtained. TWO GOOD VIBURNUMS. Among hardy deciduous shrubs the guelder rose is fairly well known as the snow-

bail tree by its ball-like clusters of sterile white flowers. It lias long been in cultivation, but of late years several other species have been introduced, two of the best being Viburnum carlesii and V. plicafeum Tho former is a Korean species, introduced into England in 1902. Previous io that it had been cultivated for 12 or 13 years in a Japanese nursery before it was distributed. It forma a small, rounded bust about 3ft in height. The flowers are pale flesh pink, deliciously fragrant, and borne in a closely-packed, rounded cluster 2in to Sin across, lasting during favourable weather for from two to three weeks. The plant is perfectly hardy, and - commences to flower when quite small. As the flowers commence to develop at tho ends of the shoots in the winter it is desirable to plant it in a sheltered spot. 'V. plicatum, the Japanese guelder rose, is one of the best deciduous flowering shrubs in the genus. It forms a spreading bush sf.t to 7ft high, with prominent ribbed green leaves, which are almost hidden in November with pure white flowers. These are borne in large clusters, not unlike the common snowball tree; hence the popular name of the Japanese snowball tree .is frequently used. As a lawn specimen or in the border nothing could exceed this viburnum in beauty when, in blossom. It was introduced into Eng. land in 1844. V. plicatun luxuriates in a rich, loamy soil, and Is propagated by cuttings or layers. DOUBLE GYTSOPHILA. The doubling process in certain plants ha« a tendency to detract from, rather than Improve, the appearanoe of the blooms; but In the case of the subject under notice th. 4 alteration is a distinct improvement. The single form appears greyish white, soon turning to dirty white. when cut. Thf

variety under notice bears snow-white masses of perfectly double blooms, most useful for mixing with other flowers for decorative effect. When dried, the flowers retain their whiteness throughout the winter. The plant is well worth a place in the herbaceous border. One tie all round tho plant in the early stages of its growth will bo found sufficient to keep the stems erect during the season. Gypsophilas, hlco dry soil impregnated with mortar rubble or limestone matter.